[kropotkin thinks...] - Sepang MotoGP Thursday Round Up: Martin vs Bastianini, Replacing...

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Sepang MotoGP Thursday Round Up: Martin vs Bastianini, Replacing Marquez, And Aprilia's Banned Starting Aid

By David Emmett | Thu, 09/11/2023 - 22:27

As the MotoGP title battle hots up, it is the small things which could end up making the difference. After Buriram, Pecco Bagnaia flew back to Italy to continue training at the ranch, and to prepare. Jorge Martin stayed out in Bali, to stay acclimatized to the tropical heat, and to avoid jet lag. "I decided to stay here because normally I struggle with jet lag, so I thought it would be a good option to stay here and get used to the conditions and train in the heat," he told the press conference.

These are the margins by which close championships are lost and won. But it is wrong to say that Martin's approach is better than Bagnaia's, or vice versa. The right approach will be the one taken by the rider who ends up claiming the 2023 MotoGP crown. As so much of motorcycle racing happens between the rider's ears, the right approach is whatever works at the time. Unfortunately, you only find out what works after the season is done. Hindsight is always 20/20.

There was a downside to staying in Indonesia, Martin admitted. "I think this week off I had too much time to think about everything," the Pramac Ducati rider said. "I prefer to race straight away because I had the feeling." The fear is always that you lose the momentum you had in a week off.

Rider reshuffle

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