Jorge Martín facing history

The MotoGP crown comes into play this weekend at the Circuit Barcelona-Catalunya, which replaces Ricardo Tormo de Cheste for obvious reasons. But Valencia will be present at all times, because everything raised at the box office will go to those affected by DANA, in addition to different events and auctions that will be held during a grand prize that bears the name Solidarity by Flag.

A special event because of everything that surrounds it and because, in sports, the title of the maximum displacement is at stake. Jorge Martín and Pecco Bagnaia will battle on the court for the last time in 2024, in a duel that will go down in history for the level that both have shown throughout the season. The Spaniard starts with a comfortable lead of 24 points, which could allow him to use the calculator during the weekend, in which a maximum of 37 points are distributed. It would be enough for Martín to add 14 between this Saturday’s sprint and Sunday’s race. A figure more than affordable for him, as long as Bagnaia succeeds in both starts. And the only thing the Italian has in his favor is that, in the event of a tie, he would be champion for the greatest number of victories on a Sunday.

Jorge Martín has everything in his favor to win the long-awaited MotoGP title. He will have two championship points, since he could close it the same Saturday if he wins the sprint or if he finishes ahead of his rival and takes two points. “I want to close it as soon as possible, but I don’t want to rush, because when I have rushed is when I have made many mistakes,” the San Sebastián de los Reyes player commented this Thursday at a press conference, “If it comes on Saturday, I will take it with the open arms and I will go for it, but if not, I have accepted the situation that Sunday can be a very long race and we will see what happens,” acknowledges the Madrid native.

If he wins the championship, Martín would become the fifth Spaniard to win the title in the highest displacement, after Álex Crivillé, Jorge Lorenzo (three), Marc Márquez (six) and Joan Mir. A title that he already touched last season, when he reached the last race of the year in Valencia with possibilities, although then the balance tipped on the Italian side. With the experience of having already gone through this, Martín reflected in Montmeló about this new opportunity that has given him life: «I think that last year I idealized the fact of winning a lot. I was very obsessed with winning and thought it would change my life. I think that, no matter what happens on Sunday or Saturday, my life is going to be exactly the same. I want to win it because I want to win it for my people, for my team, for my family, for the journalists who support me, for the people who will be in the stands supporting me… but nothing is going to change for me.

Bagnaia, on the attack

His rival has plenty of experience in these matters. In fact, it will be the third consecutive time that Bagnaia faces the final event with the championship at stake and he won the previous two. Although in both they came in the lead and with a good cushion of points. Now, he will play the role of hunter and all he has to do is win and wait for Martín’s decision: «It is true that it is very difficult to recover so many points in one weekend, but my goal has to be to go out and win both races and then “whatever happens, what has to happen.” When the Catalan Grand Prix was held in May, Bagnaia won the race with authority and did not do a double because on Saturday he crashed while leading the sprint with one lap remaining.

All the focuses will be focused on the Martín-Bagnaia duel, the umpteenth of the season and which could be the revenge of the one in 2023. In addition to winning, the Italian needs the Spaniard’s mistake or for more drivers to intersperse between the two. The names of Marc Márquez or Enea Bastianini should appear there, who will play for third place in the championship with only one point ahead of the one from Cervera. Or also Pedro Acosta and Maverick Viñales, who are fighting for fifth position and to be the best non-Ducati rider. In a weekend that will also be special for Aleix Espargaró, who will hang up his monkey on Sunday at his home circuit and, who knows, perhaps seeing his good friend Jorge Martín be crowned MotoGP world champion.