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The year 2024 has begun under the sign of the Pramac team. Jorge Martin will celebrate the Easter vacation as the leader of the world championship standings and with the added satisfaction of being the only rider to have always been on the podium in the 4 races so far. Paolo Campinoti's team is confirming itself to be one of the best in the paddock, and perhaps also for this reason several rumors have arisen in recent weeks that other manufacturers would like to poach it away from Borgo Panigale.
It's a possibility that team manager Gino Borsoi not only returns to sender, but he also reveals that arrangements for the future have already been made. "Rumors in the paddock are there and always will be, so it's best to rely on contracts," Gino underlined, "We have an option with Ducati in our favor for the next 2 years and we are very happy with them. Practically everything is already signed, we can put an end to these stories. The world would have to fall for us to change."
Will you have two official bikes? Some say Ducati would like to give only one per team.
"The contract with Ducati for the next 2 years also provides for having 2 official bikes, I would say there are not many other stories."
The present is also smiling on you: Martin had never started a MotoGP championship so well.
"Definitely. We didn't go bad at the beginning of last year either, but I think in that case the problem also came from adapting to the bike, not only by the rider but also by the team. We had been struggling a little bit to figure out what we needed to improve Jorge's riding with that bike, which by mid-season we had solved. We were also lucky this year because the GP24 has worked very well since the first test, something that is not taken for granted and almost never happens. There was a non-revolutionary but important upgrade that worked very well. It was a great job by Ducati, but also by Martin who in the winter focused on his physical and also mental preparation, which helped him a lot in handling the races well. In fact, in the first four races we got on the podium four times: he is a Martin 4.0 (smiles)."
Did last year's defeat help him mature?
"First of all, I would not call it defeat, but a great battle in which, of course, only one wins in the end. It was a great, tough championship that we managed to carry through to the end, and that was not necessarily a given. It was a fight that gave us a lot of experience that we will need this year, so it was an advantage if we look at it from a 2024 perspective."
How has Martin changed since last year?
"His way of training is different, he has changed his diet and decreased his weight. For example, he does a lot of cycling and this helps him stay fresh during the race. Also mentally, which is a very important thing in MotoGP because they do so many things in the saddle. In addition, there has also been mental work that it is best to ask him about."
While 2023 ended with a head-to-head battle between him and Bagnaia, now the number of opponents seems to have increased?
"It's a good championship, it's certainly interesting for everyone and it's different from usual, with many players who can be protagonists in every race. Right now, Martin has shown that he has something more than the others thanks to the great chemistry he has with the bike and the team. We have also improved in our approach to the weekend, we are less aggressive on Saturday to be more competitive on Sunday. Being able to stay in front with opponents with competitive bikes is definitely something special, it makes you even more proud."
Was there anyone who has surprised you?
"Definitely Acosta, I knew he was fast, but I was blown away to see him handle the tires like that already in his second race. KTM has taken a step forward, getting very close to Ducati if not at the same level, we'll see then what happens in the rest of the tracks. It's still early."
Let's move on to Morbidelli: he missed all the winter tests and there are those who are criticizing him.
"Criticizing is always a big mistake, especially for those who watch the races from home not knowing what goes on inside a team structure. These are all pub talk comments that are always best avoided. Morbidelli is a great rider who showed that he has a lot of speed in Portimao, without the crash following the contact with Mir, he could have finished between 7th and 8th place, I am convinced of that. He did laps where he was running 3 tenths behind Martin, it means the speed is there. You have to consider that he has only done 6 days on this bike, while the other 5 were testing and 2 GPs."
Are you satisfied with him?
"In Qatar, in the Sprint he was 24 seconds from the first, on Sunday, over double the distance, he had the same gap: it means he halved it. In Portimao in free practice he was in the top 10 when not in the top 5, then there was a crash that complicated things. His result on Sunday in Portugal is not to be highlighted, but his pace is, especially considering that when you are at the bottom it is normal for a rider to become a bit disheartened. Franco, on the other hand, has remained focused and will get to the front soon. I am not worried, in fact I did not imagine he would be so quick to learn."
So is there still a place for him at Pramac in 2025?
"I say that he will be on the podium soon. Before we say that a rider with this possibility is out of the team, it is better to talk about it later."
Liberty Media seems one step closer to buying MotoGP, is it the change that was needed?
"I can't say, I have no idea what it wants to do. It has done a great job in Formula 1, and I think if it bought MotoGP, it would give an extra push, hopefully in the right direction. F1 and MotoGP are sports with different characteristics, they will have to figure out what motorcycle racing needs and not simply repeat what has been done in motor racing. However, I imagine they have the experience to take things forward in the right way."
