Jorge Martin reveals the key to smashing lap record at Americas MotoGP
Jorge Martin set a new official lap record at COTA to top Friday practice.
Maverick Vinales was the pacesetter in FP1 at the Americas MotoGP, however, Jorge Martin delivered a warning that won’t go away quickly.
Vinales ultimately got within a tenth of Martin’s new lap record, but the championship leader’s time was too fast for anyone else to challenge.
The Pramac rider has been a model of consistency so far in 2024, and despite COTA not being a favourite track for Martin since he moved up to MotoGP, the Spaniard continued his rich vein of form.
“I’m feeling good,” Martin told MotoGP.com. “I didn’t expect to be this fast today because normally it is a track that I struggle at.
“But I was really smooth, trying to control my physical condition because I want to have some energy for Sunday.
“Then, when I did it I did some amazing laps. Tomorrow will be a challenging day because some riders are really fast and they will improve from today.”
Only five riders managed to lap under the 2m 2s barrier in the Q2-deciding session, but Martin’s time was closer to that of a 2m flat.
Martin set a 2:02.397s which Marc Marquez (third fastest) and Francesco Bagnaia (fourth) could not get within fourth tenths of.
Martin repeated his intention to become a full factory rider in 2025 during the pre-event press conference, and if performance such as a day-one in COTA continue, Ducati will find it very hard to resist placing the former Moto3 world champion alongside Bagnaia.
Asked what made his new lap record possible, Martin said “The bike is the same so I think the experience is helping. I studied quite a lot for this track and I’m ready.”
