MotoGP, Jorge Martin’s record: victory in the sixth race in the top class

That Jorge Martin was an absolute MotoGP talent was there for everyone to see, but that the Spaniard could aim for victory after a handful of races … well, this surprised even the most optimistic. The Madrid rookie, the first rider to achieve success with a satellite Ducati since 2004, won the Styrian GP proving to be very strong on his wrist and “head”, in a real triumphal ride that saw him hold off even a mastiff like reigning World Champion Joan Mir. The Austrian victory also gave Jorge a place of honor in a very special ranking, which also sees him ahead of legends such as Giacomo Agostini and Kevin Schwantz.

BEHIND ALSO RED

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Martin, who made his MotoGP debut this year after two years in Moto2, only needed six Grands Prix to reach success in the premier class: with the race on August 8, the rider of Pramac Ducati beat on the edge of lana both Schwantz and Agostini, able to hit their first success in race number seven in 500 (the Texan won the Japanese GP in 1988, the ace from Lovere triumphed in Finland in 1965). The Spaniard also got behind other motorcycling myths such as Mike Hailwood and Freddie Spencer (eight races, like Alex Criville) and Valentino Rossi, who had to wait for the Donington 2000 GP – ninth round of his debut season – to climb on the top step of the podium.

IN FRONT IS THE CORSARO

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Few, indeed very few, those who managed to do better: on the other hand, aces of the caliber of Eddie Lawson and Casey Stoner had to wait much longer to achieve their first triumph in 500 / MotoGP. Among the earliest are Dani Pedrosa (four races), Jorge Lorenzo and Brad Binder (three races), while Marc Marquez – who also holds the absolute personal record, with 20 years and 63 days – managed to match the “Martian” Kenny Roberts sr triumphing already at the second GP. The absolute record, however, is held jointly by Harold Daniell, Geoff Duke and our Max Biaggi: with the first place in Suzuka 1998 the Corsair repeated the feat of the two British drivers, who respectively in 1949 and 1950 had won 500 in the their debut race.