During the first practice session of the MotoGP Malaysian Grand Prix, a peculiar interaction unfolded between riders Jorge Martín of Prima Pramac Ducati and Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia of Ducati, sparking what seemed to be a psychological game on the track. Martín had positioned himself behind Bagnaia, who unexpectedly slowed down on the straight just before the final corner. This created an awkward scenario, as Martín, caught off guard, found himself slowing down as well, which he later described as an unplanned event.
The Spanish rider explained that his positioning behind Bagnaia was purely coincidental, stating he hadn’t intended to trail the Italian so closely. However, Bagnaia appeared to be uncomfortable with Martín right behind him, which led him to pause in the middle of the track. In response, Martín decided to hold his position, unwilling to push past and disrupt the moment further.
Reflecting on the incident, Martín shared his view on the unexpected pause. “I went out for a standard run, and it just happened that I was behind him,” he noted. “It seemed to be a big deal for him, though, as he came to a stop right in the middle of the track. So, I also stopped since I saw no reason to pull ahead at that moment.”
After a brief stalemate, Martín felt the interaction was dragging on without purpose. Finding himself slightly irritated, he chose to disengage from the scenario and resume his own pace. “Eventually, it felt like too much, and I was getting a bit bored with the situation,” Martín added. “So, I just returned to my usual rhythm and focused on my own work.”