Spielberg bei Knittelfeld (Austria) (AFP)
Jorge Martin towards a faultless?
The Spaniard from Ducati-Pramac, already a pole-sitter and winner on the Red Bull Ring last week, will start again in a leading position during the Austrian Motorcycle Grand Prix, on the same circuit on Sunday.
With the same objective: to "fight for victory" at the end of the 11th round of the MotoGP season, the start of which will be given at 14h00 (12h00 GMT) in stormy weather.
"I don't want to be too optimistic," adds the 23-year-old. I'm one of the fastest but four or five of us can win. "
And not the least.
In front of almost full stands - a rare image since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic - Martin was faster, in qualifying on Saturday, than the French leader of the world championship, Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), author of the 2nd chrono.
Spaniard Jorge Martin, riding his Ducati-Pramac, chasing Italian Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati), during qualifying for the Austrian MotoGP Grand Prix, August 14, 2021 on the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg JOE KLAMAR AFP
The Italian Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) finished 3rd, again handicapped by bad sensations on his rear tire.
The other Frenchman Johann Zarco (Ducati-Pramac), runner-up to Quartararo overall, is 4th, the Spaniard Marc Marquez (Honda) 5th, the Australian Jack Miller (Ducati) 6th and the Spaniard Joan Mir (Suzuki), 2nd last Sunday, is 7th.
However, the day had not started at best for the poleman, "uncomfortable" in the morning, fell in free practice 3 and 4, which "damaged (his) confidence", and went through the repechage " always stressful "qualifying!"
"I work very well under pressure and it was one of those days ...", admitted the Spaniard, after taking pole with a new record (1: 22.643) of the circuit on which Ducati has won six times on seven since 2016.
- Martin is living "a dream" -
"I'm living a dream. I love my bike, I love my team," said Martin, "rookie" in the premier class and already three times on pole and two on the podium.
Spanish Ducati-Pramac rider Jorge Martin during a break during free practice for the Austrian MotoGP Grand Prix on August 14, 2021 on the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg JOE KLAMAR AFP
The performance is all the more impressive as this is only his 7th GP in the elite!
Arrived in the World in 2015 and crowned in Moto3 in 2018, he missed four races this season, after a serious fall in Portugal in April, seven fractures and a major surgery.
Quartararo, on provisional pole most of the session but beaten for 034/1000, is "a little disappointed", even if he can be "happy" to be "well placed to start the race" on a less favorable route for Yamaha .
French Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo during a break during free practice for the Austrian MotoGP Grand Prix, August 14, 2021 on the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg JOE KLAMAR AFP
The 3rd of the GP last week does not set a "precise" objective for Sunday, just to do "at best".
“I think we have the pace for a podium or a Top 5,” he said. “But I'm not going to attack like crazy if someone is faster.
With 40 points ahead of the drivers' standings, that is not necessary.
- Vinales apologizes -
Zarco, who also started the weekend setting a circuit record, is also happy with his starting position and feels he "can fight" for a podium.
There is no question of losing two places in the last lap, like last Sunday, to finish 6th.
"I have more control over the bike", assures the French.
The Spaniard Maverick Vinales does not participate in this GP, suspended by Yamaha who suspects him of having tried to damage his motorcycle last week.
"I want to apologize to Yamaha," he told the official MotoGP website on Saturday.
"I rode the bike in a different way in the last few laps in a big explosion of emotion and frustration."
The Spanish Yamaha rider, Maverick Vinales, during a break during free practice for the MotoGP Grand Prix of Catalonia, June 4, 2021 in Montmelo, near Barcelona LLUIS GENE AFP / Archives
We are now awaiting a decision from the Japanese manufacturer concerning the participation of its Spanish driver in the last races of the season, before their separation already recorded for 2022.
The Briton Cal Crutchlow, he always replaces the Italian Franco Morbidelli, convalescent, at Yamaha-SRT.
As for the Italian Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia), also injured, he is not replaced.
In Moto2, the pole goes to Briton Sam Lowes (Kalex).
In Moto3, it is for the Italian Romano Fenati (Husqvarna), who had been deprived of it since 2017. In MotoE, the Spaniard Fermin Aldeguer (Aspar) dominated qualifying for the first time.
© 2021 AFP