Martín: "Bastianini is a bit obsessed, but my war is not against him"

After closing a brilliant 2021 debut season in the premier class riding an official factory Ducati in the Pramac team, Jorge Martín points out as a clear candidate to accompany, in 2023, Pecco Bagnaia in the official formation of the house of Borgo Panigale .

However, the Spanish rider is facing tough competition from Enea Bastianini, part of the Gresini team and riding a Desmosedici GP21, the bike that Martín used last year and which is, right now, more tuned than the 2022 bike. The Italian will try to take advantage of this situation, especially in the first races of the year, to play his cards. “The goal is to be an official driver” next year, Bastianini released this Sunday, after leading the Sepang tests.

For Martín, this campaign that is beginning to be detected in the Italian media pressing for Bastianini to be the chosen one, does not deviate him from his course.

“I try to stay a little away from these issues. I have realized that Enea, from the team’s presentation, is saying that I am his target and it seems that he is a bit obsessed with the subject, but personally I know the potential that I have, I know it. I did last year and I know what I can do, no problem,” he said when asked by Motorsport.com .

“I’m focused on my work and trying to get the potential out of this new bike and if I succeed I’ll be fighting at the front.”

One of Ducati’s great successes in the post- Dovizioso era has been to create a group of very talented and well-tuned young riders. An open war between so many pilots could affect the good atmosphere that reigns among the pilots of the brand.

“I don’t think so, honestly it’s an issue that worries me. Obviously he’s going fast, he has a bike (the GP21) that has been working from the beginning, we already know that, and that’s not going to change.”

“It is clear that there is going to be that pressure, the pressure that Jack Miller is going to have, the pressure that Enea is going to have, but I am very calm, I do not think that my fight will be against Enea right now, I hope that the relationship remains the same “.

The fact that Bastianini has a working bike from the start, while the officials need a process of adjusting the new GP22, may work in favor of the Italian, especially in the first few races, when decisions start to be made.

“In terms of times you can show more now with the old bike, but I think the new one has more potential, we just need to find the point, it’s only the second day and we haven’t had much time. We need to find grip at the back, for sure in Indonesia will have time to work and find things to be stronger than last year, which is the goal”, settled the one from San Sebastian de los Reyes .

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing