The overtaking maneuver by Enea Bastianini in Misano and the inaction of the race organizers are still bothering championship leader Jorge Martin in Mandalika
The controversial collision between Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martin in Misano, which cost the latter his race victory last Sunday, is still reverberating a few days later on the sidelines of the Indonesian Grand Prix.
On Thursday in Mandalika, Martin assured that the overtaking maneuver is already “in the past” for him. But it does not let go of the current championship leader.
“I’m calm. There’s no point in being stressed. Of course, a lot is at stake and I want to do well,” says Martin, adding immediately: ”I still don’t agree with what happened last Sunday in Misano, but I don’t want to dwell on the result.”
Nevertheless, the Spaniard reveals that he has tried to talk to race control about the incident – so far in vain. “I went to race control, but they weren’t there. I tried to see them later, but I was told that I might be able to speak to them tomorrow,” said the Pramac driver.
Martin demands explanation from race control
The stewards had not even opened an official investigation into the situation between him and Bastianini, let alone imposed a penalty.
Some drivers expressed their surprise at this afterwards. For others, it was a normal racing incident that, in their view, did not need further investigation. “Everyone thinks what they want,” says Martin.
“What needs to be clearer is the regulation and the criteria by which we are judged. Because if you can overtake a rider and run off the track without suffering any consequences, we’ll all do it,” warns the championship leader.
Martin made a similar statement immediately after the incident in Misano. But that doesn’t mean he wants to pay Bastianini back in the same way, he emphasizes.
“I only mentioned it as a possibility. I didn’t say I would do it. I have never had to overtake someone by touching or pushing them off the track. That’s not something I think about,” says the Spaniard.
World Cup leader warns: ‘Otherwise it will become the norm’
“It would make sense if the race organizers were more transparent, especially since I feel a bit exposed. If someone does this to you and there are no consequences, it becomes a rule,” fears Martin, who currently has a 24-point lead over Francesco Bagnaia, his closest rival in the championship.
A year ago, he came to Mandalika three points behind Bagnaia, but after his crash on Sunday, that gap had grown to 18 points. He was unable to recover.
Nevertheless, Martin says in retrospect: “I don’t think I lost the World Championship here back then. It was a turning point and a big learning experience, but after that I came back to within four points. I think I lost the World Championship in Qatar when that happened with the tire.”
Martin was held back by a poor rear tire that day and only finished the race in tenth place. His deficit in the championship grew to 21 points. The title was secured by Bagnaia, who won the season finale in Valencia, while Martin crashed.
