Jorge Martin sets blazing lap record at Phillip Island to kick-start Australian Moto GP
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Spaniard sets blazing lap record at Phillip Island and starts Aussie Moto GP for Ducati with pole position
- 24-year-old Spaniard Jorge Martin has broken a nine-year lap record at Phillip Island
- The Ducati Rider broke Marc Marquez’s time in his second year on tour
- Martin will have pole position on his maiden trip to the Victorian circuit
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Spaniard Jorge Martin has set fire to Phillip Island’s Moto GP track, setting a new lap record to kick off the Aussie Grand Prix after a nine-year drought.
The Ducati rider surpassed legendary compatriot Jorge Lorenzo in 2013 with a blistering qualifying round on Saturday.
Spain’s Jorge Martin took pole position at Phillip Island, breaking a nine-year lap record
Martin, who had never raced the Victorian track until Friday, clocked a lap of 1.27,767 to take pole ahead of resurgent MotoGP icon Marc Marquez.
The 24-year-old Team Pracac racer has now set an unprecedented lap time in his second year on the Moto GP tour, and he knows icon Marc Marquez will be quietly upset that his record has been smashed.
“He (Lorenzo) won’t be super happy, but it’s definitely time to break those records because the bikes are much faster now,” said Martin.
“I was a little lost (on Friday) because this track is so fast, so first time here, but today I had a good pace.”
Martin in the picture with his PRIMAC race team – the 24-year-old started in Moto GP last year
Martin won Moto3 competition in 2018 and excelled in Moto2 before making the move to the main race tour.
The six-time champion also beat Lorenzo’s previous record, despite having a scare mid-session.
Marquez made a masterful save, holding his Honda upright after it appeared to crash, and sent the bike into the grass.
Martin celebrates with his team after taking pole position for the Australian Grand Prix at his first time in Victoria
Marquez, a three-time winner of the Australian GP, ββis the reigning champion at Phillip Island after taking the checkered flag the last time the race was held in 2019.
Title candidates Francesco Bagnaia and Fabio Quartararo qualified third and fifth respectively.
Australian Jack Miller will start his home GP from eighth on the grid despite an impressive session, the first since turn four on the famous island was named after him on Saturday.
The in-form Miller is looking for a breakthrough for his first MotoGP win on home soil, having finished third in the race three years ago.
Martin has been told he will not ride in the factory Ducati seat next year, losing it to Italian Enea Bastianini
Just days ago, Martin was not happy with his Ducati team after being overlooked for their factory number 1 seat next year.
Italian racer Enea Bastianini got the wink, which “annoyed” Martin as he was told he would be stepping into the role.