Martin’s 100% podium-finish file in 2024 got here to an finish final Sunday on the Americas Grand Prix when he was overtaken for third by Ducati’s Enea Bastianini on the penultimate lap.
Whereas the Pramac rider’s lead was lower, he nonetheless holds a 21-point lead over Bastianini heading to subsequent week’s Spanish Grand Prix.
Reigning double world champion Bagnaia received the Qatar GP however missed the dash podium in Portugal because of a mistake whereas main earlier than a collision took him out of that GP.
And in Austin, Bagnaia struggled for grip on his technique to sixth within the dash and battled chatter points within the GP to solely come away with fifth and path Martin by 30 factors.
Regardless of this, Martin reckons Bagnaia continues to be the favorite for this 12 months’s championship however believes the battle is far more open than it was in 2023.
“I don’t know, I feel there are loads of riders who will be preventing for the championship,” he mentioned. “I feel nonetheless Pecco is the favorite as a result of he received final season, he’s the primary.
Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Pictures
“So, now we simply must be… I imply, the rivals are robust. Now we have Marc [Marquez], we’ve got even Pedro [Acosta], who is basically, actually good and fixed.
“So, we by no means know. Enea was tremendous robust all weekend. The necessary factor is we’re quick all over the place, and we must be targeted on that.”
In a threatening place to take command early within the championship after the opening rounds, Martin stresses that that is of little concern to him proper now.
“For certain, I don’t look in the meanwhile to that,” he mentioned of his place within the standings. “I don’t like to consider that.
“However the factors we’re doing are for that reason. I’m pleased about that. I’m pleased that we’ve got 80 factors already, it’s rather a lot.
“I feel we’ve got to be pleased and preserve this line, or this manner, as a result of we’re working fairly effectively and specializing in ourselves and enhancing the outcomes from final season.
“It is a monitor the place I struggled on up to now and this weekend we bought numerous factors, and for certain it’s higher to be within the lead than tenth.”
Watch: MotoGP: Vinales recovers from eleventh to win | 2024 #AmericasGP
