MotoGP Australia: Marc Marquez: “Jorge Martin is the favourite for the title because he’s the fastest”

Martin is a former Moto3 world champion but has not fought for a MotoGP championship since arriving into the category. 

That has all changed in 2023 though as he’s become the rider to beat in recent rounds despite Francesco Bagnaia holding a 27-point lead in the standings.

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At one stage it looked as though Martin could cut Bagnaia’s advantage down to four points whilst leading the Australian grand prix, but after seeing his soft tyre gamble backfire, Martin instead lost ground to the Italian.

Martin was one of three riders to use a soft rear, with one of the others being Marquez who admitted he was surprised Martin went with the soft and not the medium.

“Looking at the times I understood that, with the medium tyre I could have finished around 10th, 11th place,” Marquez told GPone.com. “But, by taking a risk with the soft I would have had the chance to stay in the group up front. 

“The problem was that Martin made the same choice. He set a very fast pace, he broke up the group and I couldn’t manage the tyres. 

“Last year I got on the podium with that tyre. This time it didn’t happen. The gamble didn’t pay off but it was my decision.”

While the gamble for Martin didn’t pay off, there are still eight races left for him to close back in on Bagnaia.

Marquez is of the belief that Martin has every chance to do so because ‘he’s the fastest’ rider in MotoGP currently.

“I still believe that Martin is the favourite to win the title because he’s the fastest,” said Marquez. 

“On Saturday he certainly regretted his choice because, with the medium, he would’ve been the fastest anyway. I don’t understand the reason for his decision. 

“But it wasn’t a mistake. It was a lesson. He hasn’t often ended up fighting for a championship and you make mistakes.”