English
Italiano
Jorge Martin sets his eyes on the Assen circuit with one less burden on his conscience, with the certainty now that his near future in MotoGP is outlined and he will have the colors of the factory Aprilia team, alongside Bezzecchi. A decision that of the Spaniard that caught everyone off guard at the end of the Mugello GP, when a decision was expected from Ducati, which was called upon to choose between the young Spaniard leading the championship and Marc Marquez.
After all, Jorge Martin was a child of that Borgo Panigale policy aimed at developing young riders, and the Spaniard had already been blown off once by Bastianini. An opportunity that then came back strongly on the back of an excellent 2023 season and an equally sparkling start to the 2024 season, but the arrival of Marc Marquez at Gresini and his quick adaptation to the GP23 shuffled the cards again. The Spaniard thus admits to a hint of frustration after the four-year wait at Ducati, a frustration soon extinguished by the realization that he has gained the coveted official seat after all, albeit from a different manufacturer. He will now be able to concentrate with a clear mind on the second half of the season, with the possibility moreover of snatching that very precious number 1 from Ducati and perhaps taking it to the competition that the young Madrid native really wanted.
"Now that I have a clear mind about my future I can focus on this weekend," Jorge Martin declared, "I think I can do well here in Assen. At Mugello I had difficulties not only mentally but also emotionally, although I tried to keep the talk about my future at bay it was difficult to keep my concentration over the weekend. Trying to have to continue to prove myself while waiting to know my future was becoming an obsession. Now that that talk is over I will only be able to think about the race in front of me and racing for myself, last season here in Assen I made a mistake during qualifying that I paid for in the race, but the pace was great. So the goal will be to pick up from that level."
Last weekend proved to be eventful. Your arrival at Aprilia will be a challenge for you, but is there still frustration over Ducati's decision and not being able to get the seat you were aiming for?
"The Mugello weekend revealed a lot of surprises, and I felt it. I arrived with some ideas and information that then changed drastically during the weekend. As soon as the race was over I realized that the situation was not as clear as I expected and I decided to take matters into my own hands. Sometimes in life things don't go the way you expect, I admit there was a little frustration, not really at Mugello but only afterwards. After four years waiting for the factory team, I realized that I was not the solution that Ducati was looking for, which Marc was, and I took the best opportunity I had. I think I will be much happier next year in Aprilia, after all we are talking about a factory bike anyway, which has always been my dream from the beginning. I feel that I will go where they really want me, and that in Aprilia they will give 100 percent for me, and that is important. That said, the season is still long, I'm still a Ducati rider and I want to be professional, I want to end the season in the best way possible."
You talked about information changing during the Mugello weekend, what are you referring to?
"It's hard to explain, I had talked to Ducati after Barcelona and things seemed pretty clear. During Mugello I had made a decision not to talk about my future to focus on the race, but on Sunday evening I realized that things were different and so I made a decision. I had forced myself to take a direction for my future by Mugello and that's what I did, so clearly something or someone came along and changed Ducati's mind. So yes, there was some frustration, it seemed like the time (to get on the official team, ed.) wasn't coming and in the end it didn't! - he jokes - so the choice at that point was easy. Things happen because they have to happen, overall I'm happy with how it all worked out."
Now you have signed with another manufacturer, and your team is about to move on to another factory. Are you worried about not having maximum support from Ducati now that you're leading the standings with a chance to take the #1 to Aprilia?
"I'm not worried. I am confident, I am a professional, I race and I am paid by Ducati and until Valencia Ducati will be my home. It is clear that the only thing I have control over is what I will be able to do each weekend in this remainder of the season. I will give my 100 percent with a view to winning the title, and Ducati itself has reassured me that I will continue to have the support that I have always had until now so that I can continue to be able to fight with Marc and Pecco under fair conditions."
Aprilia has made great strides over the past two years, but they still haven't quite grasped the challenge of a championship fight. Is this something you discussed after you chose to sign with them?
"It's still early to talk about it, even the riders market is not yet fully concluded. There are 12 races left until the end of the season, and for now I would like to focus on the current championship. Then after Valencia we will have a way and time to deal with this new project. Aprilia has proven to be competitive, in Austin Maverick was at another level so I think the potential is there, I am curious to see what I will be able to do on their bike. Right now there are three very competitive manufacturers on all circuits."
Did your friendship and closeness with Aleix influence your decision?
"His influence in my decision to sign with Aprilia was zero. Obviously we talked about it, I asked for some information about where I was going. Aprilia was my first choice out of the blue, then I had some second thoughts but in the end I chose by listening to my heart. I think when someone is happy they are also fast. Then it's clear, Aleix and I share the same manager and that helped in the transition, the decision was 100 percent mine but it was not easy, although it all happened quickly. I also had other options on the table, but Aprilia was the best option for my future as a rider, the best option where I think I can be competitive in the near future."
