Jorge Martin Reflects on Costly Pit-Stop Gamble at Misano: 'I've Learnt My Lesson'

Jorge Martin reflects on a costly pit-stop gamble at Misano MotoGP, costing him valuable championship points.

Apr 13, 2024; Austin, TX, USA; Jorge Martin (89) of Spain and Prima Pramac Racing waves to the fans after the Americas Grand Prix sprint race at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Jorge Martin experienced a huge problem during Sunday's Misano MotoGP race, owing to a risky pit-stop decision that jeopardized his championship points tally. Despite winning the Sprint race and closely trailing race leader and title rival Francesco Bagnaia, Martin's gamble ultimately cost him dearly in the standing.

Conditions on track took a sharp turn on the 7th lap out of 27 when sectors one, two, and three saw heavy rain. Feeling comfortable initially in the challenging conditions, Martin opted to pit and switch to wet tires, diverging from Bagnaia and other frontrunners who chose to stay out.

"I was quite comfortable, but it started raining heavily in sectors one, two, and three. For this reason, I decided to change bikes," Martin explained.

However, Martin’s gamble did not pay off as anticipated. The rain soon stopped, forcing Martin to pit again and revert to slick tires, resulting in a significant loss of time. He eventually finished a lap down in 15th place, a stark contrast to his potential standing had he mirrored Bagnaia’s decision. The error allowed Marc Marquez to capitalize on the changing conditions and secure a surprise victory, thereby denying Bagnaia the full 25 points.

The repercussions for Martin in the championship standings were immediate. His lead was slashed from 26 points to just 7 points, tightening the race for the title. Reflecting on his premature tire switch, Martin conceded the high costs of his decision-making process in such a crucial race.

"Yeah, for sure, rolling the dice maybe sometimes is not the best choice when you are battling for a championship. So next time, I won't do it. I will stick to Pecco’s decision and do the same! I’ve learned my lesson, and now it’s time to look ahead," he stated.

The race itself was a chaotic affair with others, including Pedro Acosta and Aprilia riders Maverick Vinales, Aleix Espargaro, and Raul Fernandez, also facing hardships. Espargaro later retired, while Fernandez, Vinales, and Yamaha's Alex Rins, who made similar pit decisions, finished behind Martin, each a lap down.

"I didn't know exactly if I could overtake or not. I thought I couldn't, so I was just behind, waiting, waiting, waiting... At least I could get one point,” Martin commented on the evident confusion during the race.

“I think we could have made a lot more points today, but the important thing is to always try our best,” he said.