JORGE MARTIN SAYS HE DIDN’T EXPECT MARC MARQUEZ AND DUCATI TO STRUGGLE IN AUSTRIA

The Austrian Grand Prix delivered a surprise in more ways than one, with Marc Marquez and Ducati failing to deliver the kind of performance many expected at the Red Bull Ring. Instead, the spotlight belonged to Pedro Acosta, who took his maiden MotoGP win in Austria, finishing ahead of a field that had been widely tipped to be led by Marquez and the Ducati riders.

For Ducati, the result was particularly striking. The Italian manufacturer had reached the podium at every Austrian Grand Prix since 2017, a run that helped set expectations that they would be strong again at the circuit. Yet the weekend did not play out that way, and even Jorge Martin—normally among the riders most alert to Ducati’s pace—said he was caught off guard by how difficult the race became for the marque.

Speaking after the event, Martin said he had not anticipated being able to beat the Ducatis. “I didn’t expect to beat the Ducatis this weekend, who are always the clear favourites here,” he told DAZN and other outlets. Martin also reflected on the wider championship picture, emphasizing that the lead can shift and that the priority is extracting maximum points from each weekend. “The championship lead comes and goes, it’s something I’ve learned over the years. I don’t place much importance on being the leader right now; the important thing is always to score points, to get the most out of each weekend.”

He framed Austria as a race where points mattered heavily, comparing it to Silverstone in that respect. “This was a Grand Prix like Silverstone, with a lot of points, and that’s the goal: to always score points, and the day we hopefully have the opportunity to fight for the championship, we’ll have to show a little more grit.”

Martin also addressed his own physical situation, confirming he would not be going ahead with arm pump surgery. He said his arm felt good enough for him to continue through the remainder of the season.

Marquez, meanwhile, finished fifth in Austria, a result that he linked directly to a problem at the start of the race. He suggested that the brake issue prevented him from challenging for a podium. “Without the brake problem I could have fought for a podium finish, but not much more,” Marquez told reporters. He also looked at the championship in terms of momentum and remaining opportunities, noting that the situation is still far from settled with multiple races left. “Three races ago, I was much further behind those twelve points. There are seven races left. It’s one more circuit, and now Japan is coming up, and then another one. It’s time to ride the wave halfway and maintain the level.”

The context around Marquez’s weekend added to the sense of frustration. While the Sprint had seen him finish second, the report noted that his P2 came after Pedro Acosta crashed rather than from Marquez carving out the pace himself. Even so, Marquez’s comments pointed to a belief that the brake problem was the key factor that cost him a stronger result on Sunday.

With the championship lead shifting and Marquez not holding the top position for more than a week, pressure appears to be building. Still, he stressed that there are enough races remaining to recover, and that he has already erased a larger deficit earlier in the season than the 12-point gap currently separating him from Martin.