Jorge Martin retired after the first lap of the Jerez MotoGP Sprint, but feels he had the potential to win the 12-lap battle.

The Jerez Sprint was ultimately dominated by rain, Marc Marquez winning after crashing and changing bikes.

But Martin made a good start and was challenging Alex Marquez – who would go on to track down his brother before the rain arrived – for fourth at the end of the first lap.

However, the Aprilia Racing rider had encountered a brake problem already from the warm-up lap which became evident on the run to turn one on lap two, his brake disc glowing red – a familiar sight in the night sessions at Lusail, less so in the middle of the day in Spain.

“I was fast, I was feeling really good, but this is racing, this can happen,” Jorge Martin told MotoGP.com after the Sprint.

“It’s something that I learnt during the past seasons, to take these situations more calm and I’m just focused on how can we be better tomorrow. 

“Today I started really well and then straight away in the warm-up lap I saw my feeling with the front was really strange, but I thought it was going to be like this all the race. 

“But when I arrived in that first corner on the second lap I just had no brakes so I had to go wide. It’s a pity but I’m in a good moment, I’m feeling good, I’m fast everywhere, so I have to be calm and be fast for tomorrow.”

Martin is sure he had the capability to win the race, and thinks he can challenge in Sunday’s Spanish MotoGP as well, despite starting 10th.

“The potential was to win, obviously,” he said.

“I think my pace was fantastic. Already in the first lap, overtaking, was better already than FP2, so I was coming for a really good lap.

“The important thing is that we improved a lot with the soft [compound rear tyre] because this was one of my weakest points in the past races. 

“Tomorrow is another story: long race with the medium [compound rear tyre], but I’m feeling confident. 

“Starting 10th is not the best, not ideal, but it’s a long race and we have time.”

Jorge Martin retired after the first lap of the Jerez MotoGP Sprint, but feels he had the potential to win the 12-lap battle.

The Jerez Sprint was ultimately dominated by rain, Marc Marquez winning after crashing and changing bikes.

But Martin made a good start and was challenging Alex Marquez – who would go on to track down his brother before the rain arrived – for fourth at the end of the first lap.

However, the Aprilia Racing rider had encountered a brake problem already from the warm-up lap which became evident on the run to turn one on lap two, his brake disc glowing red – a familiar sight in the night sessions at Lusail, less so in the middle of the day in Spain.

“I was fast, I was feeling really good, but this is racing, this can happen,” Jorge Martin told MotoGP.com after the Sprint.

“It’s something that I learnt during the past seasons, to take these situations more calm and I’m just focused on how can we be better tomorrow. 

“Today I started really well and then straight away in the warm-up lap I saw my feeling with the front was really strange, but I thought it was going to be like this all the race. 

“But when I arrived in that first corner on the second lap I just had no brakes so I had to go wide. It’s a pity but I’m in a good moment, I’m feeling good, I’m fast everywhere, so I have to be calm and be fast for tomorrow.”

Martin is sure he had the capability to win the race, and thinks he can challenge in Sunday’s Spanish MotoGP as well, despite starting 10th.

“The potential was to win, obviously,” he said.

“I think my pace was fantastic. Already in the first lap, overtaking, was better already than FP2, so I was coming for a really good lap.

“The important thing is that we improved a lot with the soft [compound rear tyre] because this was one of my weakest points in the past races. 

“Tomorrow is another story: long race with the medium [compound rear tyre], but I’m feeling confident. 

“Starting 10th is not the best, not ideal, but it’s a long race and we have time.”