With just two factory MotoGP seats still up for grabs – the other being at Repsol Honda – Ducati has a difficult decision on their hands as both Bastianini and Martin have shown enough to warrant its second seat alongside Bagnaia.
While crashes and inconsistencies for both riders have also played a role in the delayed decision, race wins in the case of Bastianini seemed to make him the favorite a few rounds ago.
But the momentum has since swung back and forth as Martin’s raw speed is clear for all to see, not least Ducati.
Although Ducati have confirmed a decision is expected between the Austrian and San Marino Grand Prix’, Martin feels his future is less certain than prior to the summer break.
Speaking to AS.com, Martin said: “The truth is that I have no idea [if he will join the factory team or stay at Pramac], honestly. If I could I would tell you where I will be next year, but I don’t know.
“If you ask me six races before, the truth is that it was clearer to me than now, but after everything that has happened everything has become a bit cloudy.
“Now we will try to fight in our position to be where we want, which is in the official Ducati [team]. I still have two races to stay ahead of my opponent [Bastianini] and hopefully we can do that.
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“There are no more seats anywhere. My option right now I think is staying at Ducati, it is a project that I trust in the long term and I hope to be able to wear red soon, if not the following year and be able to fight for a world championship,” continued Martin.
Martin ‘recovering’ after disastrous start to 2022
After being taken out in Qatar by Bagnaia, individual mistakes then followed as Martin took his tally of non-scores to five by crashing out of the French MotoGP at Le Mans.
The mistakes have proved costly as Martin believes he could have been challenging Bastianini for fourth in the championship.
“In the end we haven’t finished races and I think that was the mistake,” added Martin. “In the end, finishing all the races in the position I was in when I crashed, I would be in the top four of the world championship, so our realistic position is not where we are.
“Now we are recovering, we are close to fourth in the championship and now the comeback begins.
“I think that our strong point comes now and for some reason or another we have not been able to finish races and mainly that is where we have failed.”
Martin ‘more afraid of falling’ after recent MotoGP injuries
A rider who has suffered various injuries during his time in Grand Prix racing, Martin’s most impactful injury was in 2021 after suffering right hand and leg fractures during a crash at Portimao.
The Pramac Ducati rider has been so far relatively injury-free in 2022 aside from a ‘nerve problem’ in Jerez, however, that hasn’t stopped the Spaniard from admitting to being ‘more afraid’ of crashing than before.
Martin told AS.com: “Yes [the injury has changed me]. Now I am more afraid of falling and, above all, more respectful of injuries.
“I think that is the big change that I can feel when I ride. If I don’t see things clearly, I don’t shoot, I prefer to stay on the bike and not go down, and before, maybe I was going a little more crazy.
“But I think it has also helped me to be more rational and to think about things more before doing them.”