“Every corner”: Jorge Martin details extent of Misano MotoGP deficit to Bezzecchi

Only 10th in Practice at the Misano MotoGP, Jorge Martin says he was losing time to his team-mate Marco Bezzecchi in “every corner”.

While Martin just about squeezed into Q2 in 10th, Bezzecchi was over a tenth-of-a-second clear of the field in first.

Raul Fernandez also struggled on the Aprilia on Friday, finishing 12th, but while Fernandez felt he was simply missing the correct line through some of the tighter sections of the track Martin bemoaned a lack of balance when using the soft-compound rear tyre for the late time attacks.

“I was completely on the limit,” said Jorge Martin after Practice at the San Marino MotoGP.

“I was struggling a lot with the soft [compound rear tyre]. I expected to suffer a bit with the soft, honestly, because with this track, with so much grip – it’s like at the beginning of the season, the balance of the bike changed a lot for my style. 

“It was like this, but I wasn’t expecting that much, so straight away I was struggling. 

“I think, in terms of pace, I wasn’t really far. I was maybe two-tenths from the top.

“But as soon as we have to go time attack mode, I suffer a lot. 

“We need to understand how to be more competitive for tomorrow. I think there are small things around all the track that we need to put together, but if we can do a great qualifying I think we can be fighting for the front.”

The Spaniard, of course, can look at Bezzecchi’s data to try to improve, but the Italian’s advantage is not limited to a couple of places around the lap, Martin explained.

“Honestly, watching his [Bezzecchi] data, it’s difficult because it’s really small things every corner, it’s not a huge thing in two corners,” Martin explained.

“It’s all the track, a little bit, a little bit, and I’m losing and losing. 

“I think if we make a step with the bike, this normally gets quite balanced.”

As tough as Friday was for Martin at Misano, he is expecting better results in the races than the fifths he took in Aragon.

“If I have to do P5, I will do P5, but it’s not my target, obviously,” he said.

“I want to do better. 

“I think my potential for this race is much higher than P5, so I will try to put everything together and tomorrow, for sure, will be a better day.”

Testing earplugs for rider communications

Earlier in the year, Pedro Acosta had tried newly designed earplugs intended for use with MotoGP’s planned rider communications system. 

The system has been in the works for several years now, but Acosta’s feedback on the earplugs he used at Silverstone was generally positive.

Martin tried some on Friday at Misano, but they lasted only one run for the Aprilia Racing rider.

“I tried them the first run,” he explained, “but I had some issues, so I took them off. 

“I feel they are good, but with the helmet and everything was the first time, so I wanted to be really concentrated and I felt something, so I removed them.”