Jorge Martin, MotoGP race, Catalunya MotoGP, 3 September 2023 // Gold & Goose / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202309030324 // Usage for editorial use only //
Jorge Martin conceded after finishing third in the Catalan Grand Prix that it was “impossible” to beat Aprilia pairing Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales, stating they were in “another galaxy.”
The Pramac Ducati pilot survived the monstrous crash that eliminated factory Ducati pilots Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini in the original start to eventually settle into fourth as the race got back underway, the Spaniard faced with a wall of RS-GP’s as factory pairing Vinales and Espargaro led the way ahead of RNF Aprilia’s Miguel Oliveira.
Martin remained patient though and looked after the rubber mounted to his Desmosedici, a plan which began to bear fruit at the half-way mark as he dispatched Oliveira for third – though this was ultimately as good as it would get as he lacked the speed of the leading duo and eventually took the chequered flag 2.8 seconds adrift of victor Espargaro.
Martin accepted that it was “impossible” to beat the Aprilia riders around the fast and flowing Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya layout that the RS-GP relishes, though he felt he and Ducati would be in a better position heading to the more stop-start natured venue of Misano this weekend.
“Today it was impossible to beat the Aprilia’s, they were in another galaxy this weekend but I’m happy with the gap and we closed it everyday,” explained Martin.
“Today I finished less than three seconds behind them and I feel I have improved as a rider this weekend and we are a stronger team.
“I’m confident that in Misano everything will come a bit better, this track is quite complicated for us so hopefully everything comes easier there.”
The two-time premier class race winner added that seeing Oliveira pushing hard from the early laps left him confident he could attack the Portuguese pilot later on in the encounter, and hoped that a potentially tough battle for supremacy out in front could have allowed him to close up and get involved with the lead battle in the closing stanza.
“Miguel (Oliveira) was pushing a lot and I could see a lot of smoke from his rear tyre, so I said to myself to stay relaxed because he would drop after two or three laps like this, which is what happened,” continued Martin.
“I closed the gap and then when I overtook him I put in a really strong pace, not as good as the Aprilia’s but I think I had more than half-a-second (per lap) on the next Ducati which is important.
“Then I was closing the gap with these guys (Espargaro and Vinales), and I thought maybe if they battle I can arrive, but I’m happy with the podium.”
Keyword: Martin: ‘It was impossible to beat the Aprilias’