Jorge Martin says MotoGP Sprint win “was done” but “I had to let Marc Marquez pass”

MotoGP title leader Jorge Martin dodged the first-corner chaos to take the lead of Saturday's Mandalika Sprint from fifth on the grid.

The Aprilia star then began building an advantage over world championship rival Marc Marquez.

However, Martin suddenly sat up and let the Ducati rider past with five laps remaining.

Martin later confirmed he was in danger of failing to meet MotoGP’s minimum tyre-pressure regulations, forcing him to try to raise his front tyre temperature behind Marquez.

The race looked set for a final-lap showdown, but Martin lost the rear of his RS-GP and ran wide, allowing Ai Ogura and Fabio di Giannantonio to pass.

That left Martin fourth at the chequered flag, while Marquez’s latest Sprint victory moved the reigning champion four points clear at the top of the standings.

“I did not a great start, but there were four into the first corner, so it was easy for me to go into the lead,” Martin told the media, including Crash.net, after the race.

“Then I tried to push, and I was able to make a big gap to Marc. From that point I was just trying to manage the distance.

“But then I realised that I was under the [tyre] pressure. I just tried to push more, trying to warm up the front tyre a bit more, but I wasn't into the zone, let's say.

“So I had to let Marc pass. And from that point, everything started to go a bit difficult, even if I was trying to be close to make a move into the last lap.

“That's why I did a mistake in two laps to go, and then all the chances were gone.”

Martin denied Aprilia had been caught out because starting fifth made it more likely he would spend the early laps in traffic rather than clear air.

“No, we never risk with the tyre pressure. I don't know why today we were out,” he said.

MotoGP rules require riders to remain above the minimum tyre pressure for 30% of Sprint race laps, or face an eight-second post-race penalty.

“I think here it's quite difficult with the humidity, and maybe it changed from yesterday. But, honestly, we didn't risk,” Martin added.

“Sometimes it happens. It didn't happen to me a lot in the last few years, but today was one of the days.

“So it's for sure something we need to check, because it's not something that… today maybe 0.1 [bar more] I was able to win the same and not be in trouble.”

"Win was already done"

Despite the setback, Martin was confident victory over Marquez had been in the bag.

“Today the win was already done, let's say,” he said. “The difficult part was done, it was just to manage. So it wasn't something I can control. If my tyre pressure is under the rule, I have to wait for the other riders.”

Victory for Martin in Sunday’s Indonesian Grand Prix would return him to the MotoGP championship lead.

“I have a big opportunity for tomorrow, and I am fast, so this is the most important thing,” he said. “I was able to lead with good confidence.

“For sure tomorrow Marco [Bezzecchi] and Fernandez will be super strong, but so will I, so I feel we can be in the fight for a podium.”

Pole-sitter Raul Fernandez and second-on-grid Marco Bezzecchi never made it beyond Turn 1 after a four-wide battle triggered a chain reaction at the front.

“I saw they were four into the first corner, and I knew they weren't going to make it,” Martin said. “So I just waited, took the good line, and then I went through.

“The lap after, the asphalt was all scratched, so I thought there were some crashes, but I didn't realise until I finished the race when I saw Raul and Bezzecchi were out.”

Earlier in the day, Martin had faced some mind games from Marquez, who followed him out of the pits for the final qualifying run and refused to pass.

“Well, I don't get nervous when I have someone behind, so I just went for my lap because my first run wasn't good,” Martin said.

“And I don't really care about if he was behind or not. But yeah. I almost pulled away, so it was good!”