Bagnaia senses Martin nerves as MotoGP title battle goes to the wire

Francesco Bagnaia believes he can tell MotoGP title rival Jorge Martin has been “nervous” in the final round, but insisted it is normal for a rider on the cusp of winning the title.

While factory Ducati rider Bagnaia has shown impressive pace so far in Barcelona to take pole position in qualifying and victory in the sprint race, Martin has been a step behind.

The Pramac rider could qualify only fourth for the season finale and Saturday’s sprint marked the first time he finished inside the top three in any session all weekend, as he finished third behind Bagnaia and the Italian’s team-mate, Enea Bastianini.

Bagnaia has now closed within 19 points of Martin in the standings, but with only 25 points available on Sunday, the Spaniard can clinch his first title as long as he finishes inside the top nine.

Two-time champion Bagnaia explained that Martin’s situation reminded him of the nerves he faced during his first title-winning year in 2022, when he arrived into the final round with a 23-point buffer over Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo.

“I remember perfectly [the] 2022 [season] and I think Jorge is suffering a bit [of] pressure but it’s normal.

“I saw all the weekend he was quite nervous and this is something normal.

“I think when it is racing, he can manage the situation well. He did a very good job today, he managed to start in the second row, he managed to finish on the podium, so I don’t think it will be that tricky.

“I expect a race like today [on Sunday with] Jorge cruising without taking risks. He will have a lot of margin because if I win he can finish ninth, so this is quite a difficult situation, similar to mine in 2022.”

TV cameras caught Martin looking visibly agitated during practice on Friday after returning to the pits, although he later explained that he was frustrated when his crew chief wasn’t immediately available when he stopped by the Pramac garage.

Martin was also seen shaking his head after being overtaken by Bastianini on the final lap in the sprint race, a move that dropped him from second to third and cost him two points in the championship fight.

However, a podium was still a crucial result for the Spaniard and puts him in a strong position to end his stint with Ducati with his maiden title.

Asked how he managed his nerves on Saturday, he said: “I was quite nervous after…