Reigning world champion Jorge MartÃn has delivered an honest assessment of his current form after the latest round of MotoGP preseason testing, admitting that he and his team are still chasing a small but significant pace gap to their closest rivals. With the new season fast approaching, Martin’s comments underline both the competitiveness of the grid and the urgency to fine tune performance.
During the test sessions Martin showed flashes of strong one lap speed, consistently placing himself near the top of the timing sheets. However he acknowledged that raw qualifying pace is not the main concern. The real challenge lies in sustaining that performance over a full race distance. According to Martin, race simulations revealed that some rivals are able to maintain stronger consistency, particularly in the final laps when tire degradation becomes critical.
One of the key issues highlighted was rear grip and traction under acceleration. While the bike feels stable in braking zones and through high speed corners, Martin suggested that extracting maximum performance when exiting slower turns remains an area for improvement. In a championship where fractions of a second determine podium positions, even minor deficiencies can translate into lost points.
Martin also pointed out how competitive the current MotoGP field has become. Multiple manufacturers appear closely matched, and several riders have made visible gains during the winter break. This increased parity means that development work during testing is more important than ever. Every setup adjustment and aerodynamic refinement could make the difference between fighting for victory and settling for a top five finish.
Despite acknowledging the pace deficit, Martin remained positive about the direction of development. He emphasized that preseason testing is designed to identify weaknesses early, allowing teams to respond before the championship begins. With detailed data now available, he believes there is still time to close the gap and arrive at the opening round in a stronger position.
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