Valencia MotoGP: Jorge Martin: “Marc Marquez saw me, released the brakes” | Vinales battle made “no sense”

Jorge Martin says he will speak with Marc Marquez after their dramatic clash in Sunday’s Valencia MotoGP season finale.
Jorge Martin, Marc
Jorge Martin, Marc

The incident left both riders on the ground, officially ending Martin’s fading title hopes and sending Marc Marquez to the medical centre after being flipped intoꦬ a huge highside.

Martin had been frantically trying to recover places after an earlier scare with title rival Francesco Ba꧅gnaia, the Pramac rider clipping the back of Bagnaia’s race-leading bike after being 'sucked in' under braking at Turn 1.

14 points behind Bagnaia at the start of Sunday's race, e🥃ven if Martin won he also needed Bagnaia out of the top five to snatch the crown away 🔴from the reigning champion.

“The strategy ❀was to go into first place as soon as possible and maybe then try to do a slow race [and back the field up]. I thought it wℱas too early to be in first position, so I waited a little bit. But the problem was I got sucked by his slipstream and I almost hit him,” Martin told MotoGP.com.

“Then I was far behind and tried to recover positions. I was the fastest at that moment on the tr꧒ack.”

Rejoining in eighth, Martin p🧸assed Alex Marquez before losing further time in a battle that made “no sense” with Maverick Vinales.

“Afterwards, I started battlꦑing with Maverick. I didn't understand why he ꧟was overtaking back, because he knew I was battling for a championship, so was no sense. But it's what it is.”

It was moments after finally getting clear of the Aprilia rider, on lap 6 of 27, that Martin made what appea✱red to be an🌌 optimistic lunge inside Marc Marquez.

But Martin was adamant that the eight-time world champion - whose front wheel had brushed against Martin’s shoulder in a role reversal move during yesterday’s Sprint battle - knew he was there an💃d had “released the brakes”.

“With Marc, I mean it's nothing I can do. He saw I was on the inside and then he released the brakes. I'm not saying it's his fault, but it's ✨not mine [either]. A race situation. So hopefully I will speak with him soon, I feel like I have to and we can solve🌠 this problem.”

Marquez, who previously tipped Martin to win the title battle, also came under fire from Marco Bezzecchi, who was knocked down after openﷺin🧸g lap contact with the #93.

Meanwhile, after some initial tears in the team garage, Martin is proud to have made historꦿy with Pramac this season, as the first satellite ride♋r to take a ‘MotoGP’ title fight down to the last round.

“I'm happy, even if you don't believe💦 me!” he said. “I think we made history being on a sat🌺ellite team. I'm so proud of my team.

“Coming into Valencia 21 points behind was really difficult. I think after yesterday's result we thought [the title] w🍌as possible, b⛦ut Pecco showed today that he was stronger…

“Congratulations to Pecco,” Martin said. “He's done an outstanding job. The first part of the season he was incredibly fast. I think nobody was able to catch him, ಞjust in Germany.

“But then afterwards the Barcelona crash, he was able to👍 keep a really good level, even if he was not at 100%. Even if he was struggling with the bike, he was fast. So I feel like they did an amazing job and we have to learn from our mistakes and improve next season."

Marc Marquez will join Bagnaia and Martin in riding a Ducati next season, albeit a GP23 at the Gresi🧸ni team.

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.

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