Martin: ‘Damp patches a bit risky’, hard front tyre ‘for sure’ the race option

Pramac Ducati rider Jorge Martin has already declared what tyre he will use for Sunday’s Valencia MotoGP after struggling during practice with the medium. 

Martin, who was fifth overall during today’s FP2, was suffering from front locking with the medium tyre after just one lap. 

Therefore the Spaniard will use the hard (K) tyre, which is the one he usually uses and one ‘I feel confident with’.

Martin said: "For sure (will use the hard), because I tried the medium to start, and on the second lap already I was locking the front, because it felt so soft. 

"Normally the hard here is the medium in other tracks, it's the K, the one I always use. 

"So I feel confident with this tyre, and let's see how the rear is, it's difficult to understand at the moment, because we just did 15 or 16 laps, but the front for sure will be hard."

This weekend’s season finale is not just that for Martin, as the Spaniard is involved in a tight tussle with Enea Bastianini for rookie of the year honors. 

Martin trails Bastianini by three points and therefore will need to outscore last year’s Moto2 champion to take home that award. 

Something Martin can’t afford this weekend regardless of Bastianini’s result is a DNF, which can be harder to avoid at this track than most.

Valencia has always been a tricky circuit due to the time of year it’s held as cool and sometimes wet conditions make tyre temperatures being in the right window key - was already a problematic area that caused several falls earlier today including Fabio Quartararo, Danilo Petrucci, Jack Miller and Francesco Bagnaia to name a few. 

But although today’s practice sessions were Martin’s first laps around the Ricardo Tormo track on a MotoGP bike, the 23 year-old is feeling confident due to the asymmetric tyre which he says is ‘working really good’, particularly in turn 12 (long left-hander) even in the wet.  

Martin added: "It's difficult, but in the past it was more difficult, because now that I am in MotoGP, we have this asymmetric tyre and it's working really good, because it's softer on the right part. 

"So I don't feel difference between left and right, so it wasn't difficult. On the right we have very good grip, and I think it's not a problem. Just the damp patches which were a bit risky."