Pramac Ducati’s rookie signing Jorge Martin outperformed even his own targets as he soared to his debut pole in the MotoGP class on only his second weekend.
“Today my target was to be in the first three rows,” Martin explained somewhat humbly from Doha. “I thought top nine will be okay because after a really good start last weekend, I thought ninth position would be great.
“Being first is amazing. I cannot believe it, in my second race,” the 23-year-old exclaimed. “I knew I am a fast rider and for sure during the season I could maybe make some pole but not today.
“Seeing all the people, all the teams - Gresini team, Aspar team, KTM team also - all the people who were there to celebrate with me, I’m grateful to them and I am really happy.
“I felt from yesterday quite confident with the bike but today was a bit different because of the wind, so in FP3 we didn’t ride because we didn’t want to make some confusion about the set-up” he continued honestly.
The first round of qualifying wasn’t so bad because I was first, and I talked to my to crew chief ‘okay I can improve maybe three-tenths I think’ but not to be pole. I mean the last lap I was on the limit.
“When you are going for a pole, you are going to the limit, I think the most important thing is to know that bike, but still I don’t know the Ducati perfectly. I know from Moto3 and Moto2 when I did some pole, the most important thing is to know the limit, and if you reach the limit, without crashing, it means you’re super fast.
“So I tried today also and it happen but at the end, the speed you need is the same in all categories and you have to be at the top level.
“I think I did really solid work. Every day I improve, and this is why I am happy, being on pole in my second race is unbelievable. I want to thank my family, for all my career and also my team because I just I’ve been here for one month and I’m already feeling at home and this is so important.
Reflecting on his rapid progress over the past fortnight, Martin continued “last race I learned a lot from all the riders and trying to manage the tyre is the point where I have to work and we focus on. We did a great job in improving this aspect but for sure my target is not the win, my target is to learn, try to be focused, try to keep the same pace the whole race, try to not make too many mistakes and hopefully at the middle of the race I can have good tyres to battle for the top-six, this will be super good.”
When asked if he is looking toward his first win in the premier class, the pragmatic Spaniard simply replied “I think this is the time to be a rookie.
“I am a rookie and I don’t have the pressure and not even the potential yet to win. My pace is still - in FP4, for sure we made a step - but still from these guys I am maybe four-tenths, so it’s impossible to think for a win.
“Everything can happen in a race, but I need them to crash, maybe six or seven riders, to win and this is not what I want. I want to beat them when I am ready, and tomorrow is not the moment.
“Tomorrow is the time to be a rookie, try to make a good start - because at the end this is free time that I’m gaining - and try to manage the tyre so at the end of the race I have a good tyre. When they pass me, I think for sure they will pass me, I will try to follow them, try to learn, maybe they make a line that I make different and I can improve. During the race for sure I will improve my lines and I think this is the target now and I will try that.
“If had the chance to win by 20 seconds I will take it for sure but this is one-second-per-lap. There’s no way to pull away tomorrow. Tomorrow is just to learn from the riders, I’m still a rookie, I need many laps, I‘ve known the bike for three weeks, so it is enough to be here.
"I'll learn from Johann, from Maverick, from Mir, from Rins from Quartararo, just try to follow them and try to take little things and see at the end.”
