Sparks are already flying between Pecco Bagnaia and Jorge Martín at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Cheste, in the last round for the MotoGP title. In the pre-qualifying session (Practice; second training session of the day), the Madrid driver closely monitored the Italian, tried to make him nervous, make mistakes, and he succeeded: the leader will have to go through Q1 on Saturday to be able to get among the 12 first and opt for an advanced position on both starting grids, the Sprint (3:00 p.m.) and the long race (Sunday, 3:00 p.m.).
The war of nerves between the two title contenders broke out in the last minutes of Practice (the second training session, which establishes the positions to enter Q1 and Q2). As the session reached the last 5 minutes, Martín was running with the fourth time, without risk of entering the top 10 of Q2, but Pecco suffered and did not go beyond 14th place, more than 8 tenths behind the first, Maverick Vinales.
The Italian made a mistake, going wide through the escape, with Martín so involved in his role as pursuer, putting pressure on him that he also went behind, tracing his mistake. It was the image of the training, the most comical moment.
Another of the most ridiculous moments occurred when the two drivers left their respective pits. Davide Tardozzi, the sexuagenarian (64) Ducati Team Manager, stood in the way of Martín to hinder his exit onto the track and prevent the Madrid native from getting close to Bagnaia's wheel. A trick that was of no use to him, and that portrayed him for his bad tricks.
In the last minute the tension grew. Martín did not leave the Italian's wheel, to test his nerves, to force the error so that his time would not improve. And he achieved it, since Pecco was dropped to 15th place, while Jorge improved his best time and moved up to 2nd, 3 tenths behind Viñales.
So this Saturday, Bagnaia will have to go through the repechage (Q1, at 10:50) to try to get one of the two places that gives access to Q2 (11:15) and be able to position himself at the front of the Sprint grid (3:00 p.m. ), in which he could already be mathematically champion.
It will not be easy for the MotoGP leader to enter among the 12 who will play for pole position, since in Q1 he will meet his teammate Enea Bastianini, Àlex Márquez, Fabio Quartararo, Franco Morbidelli or Luca Marini, the brand new Honda Repsol signing for 2024 in Marc Márquez's position.
