Jorge Martin remains steadfast in his approach for the MotoGP Malaysian Grand Prix, vowing to ride aggressively despite his championship lead. He admits that being overly cautious makes him “more nervous,” which can lead to mistakes.
After a pivotal sprint victory on Saturday, Martin extended his championship lead to 29 points, needing to outscore Francesco Bagnaia by just nine points on Sunday to secure the title.
Martin shared that he can’t afford to relax, as that’s when errors creep in.
“When I try to breathe and be relaxed, I end up feeling more anxious, and everything gets harder,” he explained.
“Today, I felt a bit nervous this morning, so I told Gino [Borsoi, team boss], ‘I’m going for it.’ I don’t want to settle for second or third; I aim to win. If Pecco is faster, then he deserves it. But I will give my all.”
Martin believes he is “more mature” in this year’s championship battle compared to last year when he felt unprepared to win. With Bagnaia now having “nothing to lose,” Martin expects the Ducati rider to take more risks during the 20-lap race. “I think last year, I wasn’t ready to win. I was quick, but in tough moments, I wasn’t as composed,” he admitted.
Acknowledging his current position as a privilege, Martin knows the title isn’t guaranteed until the end.
“I need to stay focused for tomorrow; it’s going to be a long race. Pecco will push hard to win, making it tough to beat him.”
When Bagnaia crashed out during the sprint, Martin didn’t ignore the implications. He considered letting Marquez pass to maintain his championship advantage. “I thought, ‘Pecco crashed, so be cautious and finish,’” he said. “At one point, I even considered waiting for Marc to finish second, but I had an eight-tenths lead, so I decided to keep doing what I do best—riding.”
Martin stayed focused on his braking points, ultimately increasing his gap. He recognizes the importance of the sprint race for gathering data, as long runs on the Sepang circuit are rare due to time constraints. “Finishing today was crucial for gathering information that will help us tomorrow,” he concluded.