Martin searches for bike feel as he warns ‘24 laps like this will be very difficult’

MotoGP championship leader Jorge Martin says he will need to make an extra step forward to challenge for Japanese Grand Prix honours on Sunday.

Despite posting the third-fastest time in second practice and thus comfortably making it into the Q2 battle for pole position, Martin said he wasn’t feeling happy aboard his Pramac Ducati during the first day’s running.

“I’m one of the fastest for sure,” the Spaniard commented. “But I want to have a good feeling. Even if the pace wasn’t bad, I’m not really confident with the bike so hopefully I can make a step for Sunday.

“I started to have issues with the bike and didn’t have the best feeling. We’ll have to see if we can improve the front a bit in the morning.

“I’m locking the front a lot and start to lose it when I turn in. It will be very difficult to do 24 laps like this. Then everything will become much easier.”

Martin’s plans to find something during third practice on Saturday could be complicated by the weather. Heavy rain is expected, which could make progress difficult ahead of a Sunday for which the forecast is brighter.

His championship rival Francesco Bagnaia would welcome such a hitch for Martin, who is 21 points ahead of him in the championship race.

The reigning MotoGP champion suggested he would have less work to do on Saturday, pronouncing himself very happy with his factory Ducati after Friday’s running.

“It was a very positive Friday,” said the Italian. “Tomorrow we need another little step, but we already know what to do.

“I felt good on the bike as soon as we started today. Everything we did on the bike this morning was good. We improved my feeling, we improved the braking and I think we can be happy.

“This afternoon conditions were much better and we were able to focus even more on the braking. Our pace was fantastic.”

Bagnaia put his underwhelming seventh-fastest time in second practice down to a riding mistake at Turn 11 during his most promising lap.