Martin: Doha GP “not my day to win” despite maiden MotoGP pole
Pramac rookie Jorge Martin admits Sunday’s Doha Grand Prix is “not my day to win”, despite storming to a sensational maiden MotoGP pole on Saturday.
The Moto2 graduate set the early pace in Saturday’s pole shootout session, before stunning everyone with his final effort of 1m53.106s to claim his first MotoGP pole in only his second start.
Martin is the first rookie rider to score a pole position since Fabio Quartararo in 2019, and heads Ducati’s first 1-2 since Aragon 2018 with team-mate Johann Zarco starting alongside him on Sunday.
The Spaniard admits he only expected a top five result in Doha qualifying, but remains grounded over his hopes for Sunday’s race.
Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
"I don’t know, it’s difficult to describe my feelings,” he said of his first pole.
“In the first run, I was behind [Joan] Mir and I felt super confident, and I mean, I was catching him so fast, and I said ‘okay I need a faster bike [to follow].
“I was hoping to be behind Pecco [Bagnaia] but he wasn’t improving at all, so I said ‘okay, it’s my time to boost, my time to demonstrate who I am’.
“For sure, I didn’t expect to make pole, I was expecting to be front four, front five.
“But I mean, when I finished the lap and I was up there in first position, it’s unbelievable.
“I want to thank my family, all the team that I’m working with, a great family in the box in just one month.
“This is so great. Tomorrow - another day to learn because for sure it’s not my day to win.
“If we can fight for a top six that’d be great and I will be super happy.”
Zarco elected not to ride in FP3 on Saturday afternoon – as did Martin – to avoid “any confusion” with his bike heading into the evening running, and admits he was “a bit surprised” to see his team-mate beat him to pole.
“I’m pretty happy, A low 1m53s was a good target to be on the first row, when I saw this 1m53.2s when I crossed the finish line I expected to be on pole,” Zarco said.
“But when I understood it was the 89 on pole, my team-mate, I was a bit surprised.
“I’m happy anyway because it’s all going too perfect for Pramac team, first and second and it’s just happiness to take.
“It has been great. I didn’t ride in FP3 not to make any confusion.
“The wind was pretty strong, plus it was sand in the air, so it was better to wait and do a nice FP4.
“But with this wind we’re able to have a good speed, but maybe the pace is pretty hard to keep high. I think [Maverick] Vinales has better pace than us at the moment.”
Related video
MotoGP Doha Grand Prix – how to watch, start time, & more
Miller "hero" of Doha MotoGP qualifying after 'scary' near-miss – Quartararo
2022 MotoGP title fight now “very tight”, says Aleix Espargaro
Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro believes the current MotoGP championship picture following the British Grand Prix has set up “a very, very tight” title battle.
Pol Espargaro doesn’t think Honda is reacting to MotoGP woes
Pol Espargaro isn’t sure the problems Honda is facing at races in MotoGP this season are being relayed back to Japan as “we’re not getting the material we need”.
Marc Marquez to return to MotoGP paddock at Austrian GP for Honda progress update
Marc Marquez will return to the MotoGP paddock at the Austrian Grand Prix to check up on Honda’s progress as he continues his own rehabilitation.
Rins “destroyed” after “not normal” grip issues end Silverstone MotoGP win hopes
Suzuki’s Alex Rins says he was “destroyed” after a “not normal” drop in grip shuffled him from the lead of the MotoGP British Grand Prix to seventh by the end.
The signs Quartararo’s 2022 MotoGP title is slipping away from him
Prior to the summer break, the 2022 MotoGP title looked like it was Fabio Quartararo’s to lose. But a crash at Assen and the consequential penalty he had to serve last weekend at Silverstone stopped him from capitalising on a main rival’s injury woes, while a resurgence from another, plus the rise of a former team-mate, look set to conspire against the Yamaha rider
Why Marquez’s toughest MotoGP foe is stopping at the right time
On the eve of the British Grand Prix, Andrea Dovizioso announced that he will be retiring from MotoGP after September’s San Marino GP. The timing of his departure raised eyebrows, but his reasoning remains sensible and what has happened this year should not diminish a hard-built legacy
Why a Suzuki refugee feels he deserves MotoGP's toughest challenge
Alex Rins’ MotoGP future was plunged into sudden doubt when Suzuki elected to quit the series at the end of 2022. Securing a deal with Honda to join LCR, he will now tread a path that many have fallen off from. But it was a move he felt his status deserved, and it’s a challenge – he tells Autosport - he faces with his eyes wide open…
How Formula 1 has driven MotoGP's changing nature
The hiring of technicians from Formula 1 has clearly contributed to a recent change in the MotoGP landscape, with the role of engineers gaining greater significance relative to the riders. Here's how this shift has come about
The revolution behind Aprilia's rise from MotoGP tail-ender to pack-leader
Coinciding with the arrival of Massimo Rivola as head of its MotoGP division, Aprilia has undergone an internal revolution that has spurred it from occupying last place in the team standings to leading the table in the space of just two years. Those entrenched in the project reveal how the ex-Ferrari F1 chief has achieved the dramatic turnaround
The battle Yamaha's wayward son is fighting to be fast again in MotoGP
Franco Morbidelli was long overdue a promotion to factory machinery when it finally came late last year, having finished runner-up in the 2020 standings on an old Yamaha package. But since then the Italian has been a shadow of his former self as he toils to adapt to the 2022 M1, and recognises that he needs to change his style to be quick on it
Why Honda and Yamaha have been left behind in MotoGP's new era
The once all-conquering Japanese manufacturers are going through a difficult period in MotoGP this season. With Suzuki quitting, Honda struggling to get near the podium and Yamaha only enjoying success courtesy of Fabio Quartararo, Japanese manufacturers have been left in the dust by their European counterparts. Key paddock figures explain why.
Who is Valentino Rossi’s newest MotoGP star?
Valentino Rossi’s protégés stole the show at Assen as Francesco Bagnaia stormed to victory to arrest a recent barren run. But it was the rider in second, on Bagnaia’s old bike, who had all eyes on him. Securing his and the VR46 team’s first MotoGP podium, Marco Bezzecchi has all the characteristics that made his mentor special