With five rounds in six weeks concluding the 2023 MotoGP season, the battle for the world championship is fast boiling down to a two-horse race between Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin after VR46 rider Marco Bezzecchi - albeit still not mathematically out of contention - slid 63 points adrift of the points lead last weekend at the Indonesian GP.
The tug-of-war between Bagnaia on the factory team Ducati and Pramac's Martin on identical machinery has been widening its radius of action. Until a few days ago, they made practically no reference to each other. But that changed drastically at Mandalika. There, during his pre-event media duties, Martin declared that he was in a hurry to take the overall lead in the points table.
"If I can leave here as leader, I will try. I think the time has come," he said on Thursday, in a preview of what would happen the following day and, above all, on Saturday. Martin's inertia had led him to wipe 63 points from Bagnaia's lead since Saturday in Barcelona and until last Sunday seemed to remain in force in Indonesia, especially after Bagnaia was unable to make it into Q2 after Friday's practices.
"That only Pecco knows," Martin replied when asked if he thought his rival was feeling the pressure, before adding: "What is clear is that not getting past Q1 is a mistake."
Bagnaia simply threw out a reminder that would end up being prescient: "The last time I went through Q1 was in Jerez, and I ended up winning the race. Serenity is fundamental. When a problem is very localised, I am sure we will solve it."
That "serenity" to which Bagnaia referred at the end of Friday is what led him not to over-ride during Saturday's sprint, in which he crossed the finish line eighth, 5.465 seconds behind undisputed winner Martin. It also accompanied him during the long race on Sunday, in which Bagnaia effectively negotiated a very delicate situation due to the track conditions, as temperatures shot beyond 60 degrees and turned the circuit into a skating rink. Of the 21 riders who took the start, only 14 finished.
Source: Autosport