In many cases, when a MotoGP rider is able win a championship for the first time, his life changes more on the outside, in what is seen, than in what he feels or what goes through his head.
That does not apply to Jorge Martin if we take into account what the Spaniard says in this interview with Autosport, held in Madrid last week.
One gets the feeling that Martin is more relieved than elated by the pressure he has put on himself this season, his last on a Ducati before moving on to become Aprilia's flagship rider.
During this season, the 'Martinator' has had to compete against a myriad of elements: Against Francesco Bagnaia for the title and against Marc Marquez for the place in the official team of the Italian brand, which finally chose the latter. And also against his DNA, by planning a season based more on consistency than on pure speed, which until now defined him every time he took to the track.
Q. In a year as important for you as this one, has there been anything that you have discovered about yourself that has surprised you?
Jorge Martin: I have learned to trust myself a lot more. I have always been a person with a lot of doubts. I was very negative as a kid. I was competing in the Red Bull Rookies Cup and I thought I wasn't going to be renewed; that I wouldn't be able to make it to the world championship.
Little by little I have been proving to myself that I was capable of achieving those goals. This year I really believed in myself before winning the title. Before I had to achieve something to convince myself that I was capable, now I have believed that I was capable before I achieved it. That's something I'll take with me in the future.
Q. That insecurity doesn't really fit with the image you convey, doesn't it?
JM: Yes, maybe. This year I've been much calmer; I've been less impulsive and I've been able to keep calm in the moments when it went badly, which weren't many. All this helped me, not only myself but also my team, because I could express myself more clearly about what I needed from the bike.
Q. You were very critical of yourself last year when you lost the championship. How much of a key reason is it that you are sitting here today as champion?
JM: I think I'm quite self-critical, and I see that as a positive thing. When you are younger you always look for excuses, but that doesn't help. There came a time when I started to identify my mistakes, and from then on I focused on trying to correct them, to improve.
This year, for example, it was very clear to me in Germany, where I crashed because of my own mistake. I could say good riddance, I screwed up. The important thing is that I was able to transform that into a lesson that helped me for the rest of the season.
"Nobody is perfect, we all have some weaknesses that we can strengthen" Jorge Martin
Q. You have spoken unfiltered about the importance of the role of the sports psychologist in your performance. Do you think that this figure is still stigmatised?
JM: It seems to be a taboo subject. Some people think that using a psychologist is a sign of weakness, and it's actually the opposite. I see it as evidence of strength because it shows your will to improve.
Nobody is perfect, we all have some weaknesses that we can strengthen. A psychologist is not going to do you any harm. All they do is provide you with tools that you will choose how to use, if you want to use them.
Q. In the last three years you have undergone a transformation on the track. You have gone from basing your arguments on explosiveness to consistency, sacrificing a bit of that natural pure speed that you have. Has this change been voluntary?
JM: It's all due to that calmness we were talking about earlier. It's true that there have been several races where I would have preferred to beat Pecco. Before, I would have chased him and I would have probably ended up crashing.
To avoid that, I had to learn to settle for second place, with those 20 points, instead of gambling everything and risking too much to lose while chasing 25 points. That approach is what brought me to the all-time points record and the title, despite the fact that my rival won 11 races. I am very proud to have been able to beat the best Pecco ever.
Q. Does that record mean you have interpreted the new racing format better than anyone else?
JM: I probably knew how to give the same importance to Saturday as to Sunday. A lot of riders have paid for bad Saturdays at the end of the year, while I was adding up. In total, I had four zeros out of a possible 40. You can always improve, but Pecco had eight or nine. That's what decided the title for me.
Q. Do you think that everything you have achieved this season means that you are sitting at the same table as Marc Marquez and Bagnaia?
JM: I am very young. I am 26 years old and I hope that this is just the beginning and that I have many years ahead of me. What I really want is to be remembered for something much more profound than a MotoGP title, which is a big weight off my shoulders.
Pecco is one of the best riders in history, and not just because of his numbers. He has beaten Stoner, who is considered one of the top-five riders ever. And I have beaten him, and with the same bike. I don't know where that puts me. I have an average of one podium every three races, counting my years with Mahindra and in Moto2. We'll see what happens in 2025 when I'll be racing with a different brand.
