MotoGP rookie Jorge Martin, who won the race, admits he “faces his fears” on his return to Portimao this weekend.
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Fresh off pole and a podium in Doha, the Pramac Ducati rider suffered several broken hands and legs during a serious accident while training for the Portimao race in April, which meant that he was paused for the next three laps.
The young Spaniard spent the following races building his fitness and self-confidence again before starting the second half of the season perfectly with a win in Styria and another podium a week later.
But the five races since then have been less spectacular and Martin returned to Portimao after considering possible surgery for a muscle problem on his left leg.
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“Yes, I was [thinking] to be operated on immediately after Misano. Finally the decision was made to do some kind of therapy which I did in these two weeks and I hope I don’t have this problem again. And if we have this problem [again] after the Jerez test [November} I will make surgery… to be as fit as possible for next year.”
Martin’s issue, which described as ‘leg pump’ is unrelated to his earlier injuries. He previously struggled with it at Aragon, where Factory Ducati rider Jack Miller also experienced a similar issue.
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“I was having some issues with my leg, and trying to shift. The lever felt quite difficult and I kept making some mistakes on the gearbox,” Miller said at the time. ” I really started to struggle and I was having to use basically my whole leg to shift. It was really weird.”
“In Aragon I had this problem,” confirmed Martin, who revealed he opted for the same treatment as the Australian. “I spoke with Jack because he also had the problem so he did this therapy and after he didn’t have a problem, so that’s why I tried it and I hope I won’t have problems here.
“It’s leg pump. It’s like the same issue as we normally have on the arm, but on the leg. I hope it will be better.”
Physical issues aside, Martin admitted this weekend will also present something of a mental challenge.
“Sincerely, after I knew [MotoGP] came back here [in November], I think it was the middle of the season, I said to my team: ‘Okay, I’ll be positive for Covid!’ so I won’t be there! “he smiled.
“But at the end of the day I have to face my fears and the problem I have here and just try to learn the track well and be consistent for the next year.
“Now I feel ready to race here but I think all year when I knew we were going back to Portimao I was a little scared because at the end of the day it changed my life a little bit.
“After that fall, I didn’t know if I could get back on the bike, so it will be strange, if I pass Turn 7, I’ll be a little more relaxed than last time.”
Although Martin only scored in half of the 16 laps, he is only five points behind Ducati GP19 rider Enea Bastianini when he was named Rookie of the Year
“Sure it’s in the head. Let’s see. It’s close. I didn’t ride here last time so this may not be the best place to fight, but I’m confident for Valencia. It’s going to be so close and it will be it’s nice, “said Martin about the Bastianini battle.
Martin, who has a factory GP21, will again have the latest Ducati spec as he will stay with Pramac alongside Johann Zarco for 2022.