Martin has to "face the fear" of Portimao MotoGP return after crash
Jorge Martin admits he was “scared” initially when he found out MotoGP would be returning to Portimao following his serious crash in April, but now has to “face the fear”.
The Pramac rookie suffered multiple fractures to his hands and his right ankle in a violent accident during FP3 for April’s Portuguese Grand Prix, when he crashed at the Turn 7 right-hander.
Having had to undergo surgery on his ankle and his right wrist, Martin was ruled out of four races between Portugal and Italy, but would sensationally take a maiden win in Austria in August despite still not being 100% fit following the accident.
PLUS: The irony and vindication behind a rookie's maiden MotoGP victory
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the cancellation of much of the original second half of the 2021 calendar, MotoGP returns to Portugal this weekend for the Algarve Grand Prix.
Speaking on Thursday ahead of the penultimate round of the year, Martin admitted to his fears about returning to the Algarve track as the crash he had “changed my life a bit”.
“Well not now because now I feel ready to join the track and to ride here,” he said, when asked if he was scared ahead of the track action resuming on Friday.
“But I think all the year, when I knew we were coming back to Portimao, I was a bit scared because, at the end of the day, it [the crash] changed my life a bit.
Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“After this crash I didn’t know if I could be back on the bike again.
“So, it’s a bit strange, for sure when I pass corner seven I will be a bit more relaxed than last time.
“But I’m ready, the bike is working well and I think we can do a great job. There’s no fear, just a bit of respect.”
When asked by Autosport how he initially processed the news that MotoGP would be returning to Portugal, Martin says that he joked with his team that he’d test positive for COVID so he couldn’t race – but concedes he has no choice but to “face the fear” this weekend.
“Sincerely, after I knew we were coming back here – I think it was in the middle of the season, like three months ago – I told my team ‘OK, I will test positive for COVID, so I will not race there!’” Martin added.
“But, at the end of the day, I need to face this fear and face the problem I have here, and to just try to learn the track well, to be consistent for next year.
“We are coming back, so it is what it is and I’m ready for everything.”
Related video
Marquez to miss Algarve MotoGP round after training accident
Dovizioso “not instinctive” on Yamaha MotoGP bike yet
Why Ducati holds all the power in its MotoGP rider dilemma
OPINION: The French Grand Prix looks to have made Ducati’s decision on its factory team line-up simpler, as Enea Bastianini stormed to his third win of the campaign and Jorge Martin crashed out for a fifth time in 2022. But, as Ducati suggests to Autosport, it remains in the strongest position in a wild rider market
The seismic aftershock left by Suzuki's decision to leave MotoGP
Suzuki's sudden decision to leave the MotoGP World Championship at the end of the season has acted as a stirring element in a market that had already erupted. Autosport analyses what this means for the grid going into 2023
How the real Ducati began to emerge in MotoGP’s Spanish GP
Ducati’s 2022 MotoGP bike has had a tough start to life and the expected early-season title charge from Francesco Bagnaia did not materialise. But the Spanish Grand Prix signalled a turning point for both the GP22 and Bagnaia, as the 2021 runner-up belatedly got his season underway after a straight fight with Fabio Quartararo
How Honda's praise for its 2022 MotoGP bike has turned into doubt
In a little over two months, Honda has gone from setting the pace in MotoGP testing with its new RC213V prototype to being at a crossroads - caused by the discrepancy in its riders' feedback. After a Portuguese GP that underwhelmed, serious questions are now being asked of Honda in 2022
Why Quartararo's Portugal win wasn't only vital for his MotoGP title hopes
Fabio Quartararo got his MotoGP title defence off the ground in the Portuguese Grand Prix as a dominant first win of 2022 rocketed him to the top of the standings. While a significant result in terms of his title hopes, it has come at an even more important time in terms of his 2023 contract negotiations
How a MotoGP legend is preparing for an unexpected comeback at Goodwood
Wayne Rainey, who’s paralysed from the chest down, will ride his 1992 500cc world championship-winning bike again at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed. The American motorcycle legend explains how he's preparing to thrill on his first visit to the famed hillclimb
The MotoGP rookie fighting two fronts in his debut year
Darryn Binder has found himself in the unenviable position as MotoGP's most under-pressure rookie in 2022 having made the step directly from Moto3 with a reputation as an over-aggressive rider. This hasn't been an easy thing to shake at the start of the season, but he believes tangible progress is being made
How ‘Beast’ mode is putting Ducati in 2022 MotoGP title contention
Enea Bastianini’s second win of the 2022 campaign at COTA puts him back in the lead of the standings and once again showed the best Ducati package is still the 2021 bike. Those closest to Bastianini tell Autosport why he’s so good on the GP21 relative to his factory counterparts