Talyta França
MANDALIKA, Indonesia - Jorge Martin delivered a dominant performance on Sunday at the Indonesian Grand Prix, leading every lap from the pole to secure a vital victory in the championship battle.
The Pramac Ducati rider’s triumph extends his championship lead to 21 points over Francesco Bagnaia, who finished third in a race marked by crashes.
Coming into Sunday’s race, Martin was under pressure after a difficult sprint on Saturday, where a crash on the opening lap dropped him to the back of the field, finishing in tenth.
Reflecting on his comeback, Martin admitted relief at overcoming his past mistakes. “I got some revenge today,” he said in an interview reported by Motorsport. “I stopped and kissed the floor, because I think it is even better when you crash and then win, than if you win both races!”
Jorge Martin celebrates his victory at the Indonesian GP on Sunday. Source: Jorge Martin.
The race began with Martin taking the lead from the start, with Acosta and Enea Bastianini following behind. Bagnaia overcame a slow start to hold fourth, while Marc Marquez’s hopes ended with a technical issue that forced him out.
A dramatic pile-up at Turn 3, involving Jack Miller, Luca Marini, Alex Marquez, and Aleix Espargaro, led to several riders being forced out of the track. Despite an investigation by the stewards, no further action was taken on the incident.
Speaking about the mental battle during the race, Martin said, “The mental side of it was really complicated, and around lap 13 I started to have some ghosts [come up] about last year, but after getting through that part of the race, everything was ok.”
Bastianini, showing impressive pace, looked like a potential challenger to Martin until he crashed on lap 21. This opened the door for Bagnaia to move into third, overtaking Morbidelli and Marco Bezzecchi.
Martin maintained a comfortable lead, despite the determination from Tech3 GASGAS rider Pedro Acosta, and finished 1.4 seconds ahead.
Martin’s victory strengthens his hold on the championship lead. With five rounds remaining, the Indonesian GP has shaken up the standings, leaving title hopes for both Bastianini and Marquez in jeopardy.