Jorge Martinez he is a great character. Today team manager, four times pilot world champion, has made a long career in the small displacements, has won four world titles and 37 races. And he is the author of the last world championship double, because in 1988, therefore three years after Freddie Spencer with the 250/500, he combined the conquest of two titles, for the 80 and 125 class. With the Derbi. It ran from 1982 until ’97 and his nickname was “Aspar”, ie the cobbler.
Interviewed by DAZN, Martinez, born in 1962, remembered his best achievements, focused on the double title season, pointed out that the first victory, for him Assen 1984, is never forgotten, he told two of his daring victories built on the choice of tires different from all the others. After his career he built his own team and also won four titles with its drivers: Bautista, Talmacsi, Simon and Terol between 2006 and 2011. But the interview also spanned two other themes: Rossi and Marquez.
“When they criticize Valentino – said Aspar – I find it hard to understand. Of course, in many years he has also done wrong things, he has also made some mistakes. But we realize that I have stopped racing for 23 years, it was 1997, and Valentino had won his first race the year before, conquered the first title of the 125 and is now still here, at 41, and yes compare to Marquez and everyone else? “
“I know it well – he added – that when you have a few years on your shoulders you lose aggression, the desire to fight and take risks decreases. He is very well financially, he is very rich, he has a Moto3 team, a Moto2 team, a school … He shouldn’t take any risks, but he’s Valentino Rossi! “.
On Marc Marquez, Jorge Martinez is cautious. He points out that it falls less and less, that it has matured. And then it goes further.
“He is evolving, last year we saw him less aggressive and for this reason make less falls. He remains the driver to beat, but there is the unknown factor of the bikes, we need to understand who worked better: in the winter tests he was the Yamaha that seemed ahead of the rest. It will be a very balanced championship. I believe that in the end whoever makes the least number of mistakes will win … “
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