KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) – Jorge Martin and Italy’s Francesco Bagnaia go into battle this weekend at Sepang in Malaysia with the MotoGP world championship crown within the Spaniard’s reach.
Martin holds a 17-point lead heading into the penultimate leg of the season as the Pramac Ducati rider attempts to win the title for the first time.
Two-time defending champion Bagnaia, also on a Ducati, has little room for error and knows that his rival can mathematically seal the crown in Malaysia.
More likely is that the title battle goes to the final weekend at Valencia next month. A maximum 74 points are still up for grabs in the season.
At a rainy Thai grand prix at Buriram on Sunday, Bagnaia started on pole and took the chequered flag ahead of his rival for his ninth GP win of the season.
Given the wet conditions, Martin was content to settle for second, knowing repeat performances at Sepang and Valencia will be enough to clinch the championship.
Steamy Sepang is threatening to be similar, with possible rain forecast for the Saturday sprint race and Sunday main event.
Martin suffered a couple of hairy moments in the Buriram wet as he struggled to keep hold of his Ducati, but emerged from a tricky weekend unscathed in the title tussle.
“Trust me, it’s really difficult to be Pecco or me at this stage of the championship,” the 26-year-old Martin said, referring to Bagnaia.
“He’s always difficult to beat, he’s a great champion.
“For me it’s a pleasure to be at this point of the championship battling with him.”
Results in Thailand meant that it is now a straight shootout between Bagnaia and Martin, who can clinch the title if he outscores Bagnaia by 21 points at Sepang.
Bagnaia said the victory had given him a confidence boost going into Sepang.
“Malaysia is another good track for us,” the 27-year-old said.
“It’s a track where I’ve always been very, very strong.”
Last year in Malaysia, Bagnaia’s team-mate Enea Bastianini won the grand prix ahead of Alex Marquez, with Bagnaia third and Martin fourth.
Bagnaia went on to retain his world crown in the series-finale at Valencia. Martin finished the campaign second.
On this occasion the script has flipped, with Bagnaia chasing Martin in the championship, but the Italian struck a defiant tone in Thailand.
“Honestly, I never give up,” Bagnaia said after his ninth race win of the season.
“I always believe in what I can do and in my team.
“I will never give up while I still have a chance.
“I was always like this and I will be like this every season and I try my maximum always.”
