Jorge Martin “proud” of Qatar MotoGP comeback: “I almost don't feel the pain”
Jorge Martin says adrenaline is masking his wrist pain as the injured MotoGP title contender sets a competitive pace in Qatar.
Last on the timesheets a week ago at Sepang, injured title contender Jorge Martin was back on competitive form in Qatar on Friday.
The Aprilia star, fighting to prevent Marc Marquez from wrapping up the World Championship this weekend, was "proud" of his performance after finishing the day seventh on the timesheets.
Having called an early end to Friday Practice due to a lack of wrist strength at Sepang, Martin completed 19 laps this afternoon, close to the Grand Prix distance.
His best lap put him 0.6s behind leader Fabio di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati), but just 0.350s from the fastest RS-GP of team-mate Marco Bezzecchi.
“I’m very proud of my job today, I wish I had this feeling in Malaysia honestly, because I'm able to race,” Martin, who fractured a bone in his right wrist at Phillip Island two weeks ago, told TNT Sports.
“For sure I'm not fully recovered, but I feel much better. I can make laps together, I can be competitive.
“I feel that I lost all my feeling after that crash in Australia, and every lap I'm trying to build that feeling again. So it's more about that than the pain.
“The pain is there, but with all the adrenaline I almost don't feel it. So, I'm really happy that I can race, and let's try to finish tomorrow the sprint.”
Martin, who needs to score eight points this weekend to guarantee delaying Marquez's title celebrations, is losing most of his time in sector one, where he was ranked just 13th fastest.
“Honestly, I improved a lot on the braking, but for sure when I am on the edge, on the maximum angle, I'm struggling a lot with my extreme position, let's say,” Martin explained.
“So it's one of the problems, on the right corners. Also, change of directions are quite tough and I'm losing a bit of time. But I'm not that far, so I'm really really happy.
“As I said, proud of my job, and let's try to make another step tomorrow.
“I hope that tomorrow I can improve even more. I'm getting back my strength, which is what I missed in Malaysia, and it seems it’s coming back.
“So I'm optimistic that every day I can improve a lot.”
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
