Unlike Zarco, Martín "yes, he would have fought for the podium" against Bagnaia

October 3, 2022

The last laps of the Thai Grand Prix saw the first clear episode of direct help from a Ducati rider to the house leader, the Italian Pecco Bagnaia, on his way to the first riders’ title for the red bikes since 2007, when Casey Stoner got it.

Johann Zarco completed the first ten laps of the race at a medium 1.40 pace, and the next five at a high 1.39 (time table). But from lap 16 (1.39.4) the Frenchman began to lap faster than the leading riders, setting the fastest lap in the race (1.38.941) and climbing positions until he reached Marc Márquez, who was running fourth, and passed him without excessive difficulties.

Once there, with five laps to go, Zarco dropped anchor and did not want to overtake Bagnaia, for which he had to reduce his pace, going back to a high 39 to finish the last two laps running in 1.40.

“We have been trying to have a bit of strategy for some races, Ducati leaves us free to fight whenever it is for victory, but to fight for other positions we must be more calculating, and today those conditions have been met, in my opinion”, said Zarco at the end of the race, clearly admitting that he had acted for the benefit of the brand, even if it was against his interests, since if he had overtaken Pecco and kept the pace of 39 low, he could have fought for the victory.

It is not the first indication that, at least some, riders of the Borgo Panigale brand are trying to help their teammate who is fighting for the title.

This was made clear by Marco Bezzecchi in the Japanese race, in which he was many laps behind Pecco, who ended up crashing on the last lap.

“By the time I got to Bagnia I stayed behind him so as not to risk making a mess,” Bezzecchi explained at the end of that race. “Pecco is a very good friend of mine, but at certain moments I felt that I had more pace than him, but I chose to stay behind. It was a 100% personal choice, nobody from Ducati had told me anything about it.”

Zarco’s decision is completely understandable. The Frenchman, at the end of 2019, was without a team and about to go home, when Ducati offered him to ride for the Avintia team, a possibility that was not to his liking, but that he had to accept. Since then, the Frenchman has earned the respect of the factory, which has promoted him to consolidate himself in the Pramac satellite team, with which he has recently renewed.

Jorge Martín, his garage partner, sees it differently.

“Obviously the best thing for Ducati is for (Bagnaia) to finish ahead, but I would have fought for the podium. It’s obvious that right now, if you’re behind Pecco in sixth or eighth position, you don’t have any need to fight him or try to overtake him. But personally I think that if you’re fighting for the podium you should try, and even more so if you have the pace to win the race”, said the man from San Sebastián de los Reyes.

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing MotoGP