MARTIN TARGETS A WIN AFTER QATAR PODIUM, BEZZECCHI TRIUMPHS AND DI GIANNANTONIO CALLS OUT MARQUEZ

Jorge Martin turned a broken wrist and a difficult starting position into a remarkable podium at the Qatar Grand Prix, just two weeks after a high-speed crash at Phillip Island. The 2024 champion had been unsure he could even race when he arrived, but qualified directly for Q2 on Friday, started 11th in the sprint and charged to third after briefly leading ahead of Marc Marquez.

He continued the fight over Sunday’s longer distance. Starting 10th, Martin passed Johann Zarco and Fabio Di Giannantonio, then gained another place when Fermin Aldeguer served a long-lap penalty. He finished exhausted, 14 seconds behind race winner and Aprilia teammate Marco Bezzecchi. Martin was half a second slower than Marquez’s fastest lap.

“I’m completely worn out now, but it was worth giving everything, even though I’m in quite a lot of pain,” Martin said. He has two weeks to rest and help the fracture heal before the next round in Portugal, and expects to be “close to 100 percent” at Portimao.

Martin said the team had achieved its goal in Qatar, making the result especially satisfying after he had not known on Tuesday whether he would be able to compete. He said his sprint performance showed what he could do: “I felt very strong on the brakes and was even able to attack Marc and overtake him. Leading for a few corners was great.” He also spoke about messages from people facing serious illness or hardship: “I hope all those people keep fighting.”

Saturday’s sprint also featured a collision between Marquez and Bezzecchi at the exit of Turn 1 as they fought for the lead, sending Bezzecchi into the gravel. Di Giannantonio backed his fellow Italian after the race, telling Marquez: “Man, you have to look before choosing a line like that! He was on the inside.” Marquez responded that Bezzecchi had been the one who made contact and that he had done nothing unusual, saying he had taken the same line through that corner before.

Di Giannantonio had finished second in Saturday’s sprint after starting third, passing Martin on the final lap. Sunday was a stark contrast: a poor launch saw him fall to eighth by the end of the opening lap. He recovered one place by passing Zarco on lap three, but made no further progress. Martin later passed him, and Di Giannantonio finished eighth. Severe vibrations made it impossible to lean far enough to put down a knee or elbow. “It’s the third or fourth race in a row where something outside our control has happened in the main race,” he said.

Zarco, the leading Honda rider, finished ninth after placing fifth in Saturday’s sprint. Bezzecchi controlled Sunday’s 22 laps and won after his sprint crash. “When I slid through the gravel on Saturday, I thought Sunday would be my day,” he said.