For the first time, the King of the Sprints ends a Saturday with a “zero”: it is heavy, on the day in which Pecco Bagnaia returns to win a Sprint on Saturday for the first time since Austria 2023, the withdrawal of Jorge Martin today at Mugello, with the Spaniard seeing his margin in the World Championship drop to 27 over Bagnaia and his lead over Marc Márquez to 32 points. And the feeling with which Martin ends one of the worst days of his 2024 is not positive.
A fall without explanations
The turning point of his Saturday was the crash at the San Donato at the beginning of the eighth lap, with Martin losing the front of his Desmosedici, which thus dumped him in the escape route while Bagnaia and Márquez flew towards the finish line with the first two positions in the pocket. An unexplained disaster for the World Championship leader, who even looking at the data cannot explain the reason for the crash, which he compared to that of Jerez due to the type of dynamics.
I have no idea why I fell, I looked at the data. The previous lap I went a bit wide, so I tried to brake early to try not to repeat myself, but I crashed. I don’t like it when I don’t understand why I fall, we have to check, the pressures were ok.
Even before the race, his crew chief Daniele Romagnoli had stated that today’s maximum objective could be a podium placement, aware of the problems that Martin is facing this weekend and which can all be traced back to that front that betrayed him . Martin himself confirmed that he too already knew he didn’t have the pace to win and was hoping for a podium – which he had in hand given the advantage he had over Acosta before the crash – which however did not arrive.
It seems, from my feelings, that I was at the limit at the front. We have to work, it seems like I’m using the front a little too much. After 3 laps, it feels like the tire has done 20. This is definitely not a good thing. We definitely have to improve the setup for tomorrow, because then I can’t be competitive. It happens.
Pecco and Marc have the advantage
Despite the pole position with the associated absolute track record of 1.44.5, Martin further realized that Bagnaia and Márquez, at this moment, have a small advantage over him in view of tomorrow, if the situation does not change.
Yesterday I did 1.46.1 with very used tyres, in the Sprint I was running at .46.4 and I was expressing myself at my best. Something went wrong. My sensations aren’t great, there’s something we need to fix for tomorrow because cornering was very difficult, I saw big differences with Pecco and Marc on the track. The good thing is that we have the data, we will try to get closer for tomorrow.
The unsanctioned contact with Bastianini: “Avoidable”
The duel with Bastianini to maintain second position behind Bagnaia in the early stages of the race resulted in a fall for the Beast, who at San Donato tried to pass Martin and with the Spaniard who, to cross Enea and regain the position, touched the #23 leading to the slide. According to Martin, Bastianini was very aggressive in the duel with him and the contact could have been avoided, although luckily for him this did not lead to any penalties.
Enea had already been aggressive during the first lap. In turn 1 he went wide, I took my usual line. I felt the touch, I didn’t know it had fallen because I didn’t see it, I noticed it while looking at the giant screen. Afterwards I will go to the commissioners but I think the race direction has already decided, I don’t think there are any problems but there are always surprises with them. It certainly could have been avoided if he hadn’t re-entered the path without looking. I took a normal trajectory, he went wide, closed and touched me. Already on the first lap at the Arrabbiata he closed the line while I was in front and I couldn’t see him, but I heard him and closed the throttle. It was a little dangerous. I was lucky I didn’t fall with him.
From Mugello, Mattia Fundarò
