World championship leader Jorge Martin says he is a less nervous and a more mature rider than he was at this stage of his 2023 points battle with Francesco Bagnaia.

Pramac Ducati’s Martin heads into this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix, the penultimate event of the season, with a lead of 17 points over factory Ducati rider Bagnaia. Last year he came into the penultimate round as the chaser, 14 points behind Bagnaia – and ultimately lost out at the final round.

Speaking ahead of the Sepang weekend, Martin claimed to be far more relaxed as the duo repeat their battle in 2024.

“Last season I was really tense and really nervous,” admitted the Spaniard. “I was really struggling with the situation and I felt a lot of pressure.

“This year, pressure is there but I think I’ve improved a lot. I’m much more mature now. I know I can lose it but I know I can win it. Last year I lost it and nothing happened to me – it’s not the end of the world!

“I try to learn from the pain and the bad moments. I think that’s where you learn more – losing can also be really exciting!”

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

For his part, Bagnaia said he would thrive on the pressure of chasing – and that he needs to cut Martin’s advantage to under 10 points heading into the final round.

“Pressure is always there but it’s nice to be in this situation,” remarked the reigning champion. “I love to be in this situation. It’s a critical situation for [the rider chasing]: you know you have to be fast because you cannot lose points. You have to be the faster one but you cannot make mistakes.

“I will try to win both races and close the gap. We have to try and gain more than the three points we gained in Thailand last weekend. We need to go away from this weekend with a gap of less than 10 points.”

The Italian pointed out that Martin would also face his own brand of pressure trying to guard a lead.

“We’re at a moment where I have to take a bit more risk than Jorge. He can be more calm. He doesn’t need to make mistakes because he can also finish second.

“But I was in Jorge’s situation last year and I know it’s a situation where you feel like you need to be more calm. Being competitive in this situation is not easy.”

Where exactly that final round will take place remains an open question given the doubts around the Valencia venue. The region is currently dealing with a major flood situation that has cost lives as well as heavily damaging at least one of the circuit access roads.

Martin and Bagnaia joined a number of riders to argue on Thursday that the finale should be moved elsewhere.

“Valencia will be difficult even if everything [around the circuit] is solved. It’s a difficult situation [in terms of] respect for the people over there. The best option would be to race elsewhere.”

Asked which alternative venue would be ideal from his perspective, Martin joked: “For sure I wouldn’t want to go to Assen. Pecco is so strong there!”

Bagnaia underlined the ethical issue with racing in Valencia in somewhat stronger terms.

“For me, the ethical side is the most difficult thing. Racing there is like a party…it’s a moment to enjoy. But knowing that the situation is what it is, it’s not correct. It could be wrong to race there.

“If it were my choice, I would prefer not to race there. It’s not my decision, but we have many more options.”

Regarding alternative venues, Bagnaia said: “Assen could be good, but it’s too cold. Mugello, maybe!”

Three-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Andre Lotterer has not ruled out continuing his relationship with Porsche when he leaves its World Endurance Championship Hypercar squad after this season.

The German, who took his three Le Mans wins with Audi in 2011, ’12 and ’14, has revealed that talks with Porsche to extend his time with the marque are on-going.

But he declined to go into detail ahead of this weekend’s WEC finale in Bahrain in which he can claim a second world championship title together with Porsche Penske Motorsport team-mates Laurens Vanthoor and Kevin Estre.

“There are talks and it is possible [to continue with Porsche],” Lotterer told Motorsport.com.

“There are discussions about what I could do in the future; they have asked me about what I would like to do after this.

“But I want to do this race first and then see afterwards – there is a championship to win.

“I don’t want anything to interfere with that.”

#6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Kevin Estre, Andre Lotterer, Laurens Vanthoor

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

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Lotterer will be out of contract at Porsche at the end of this season and has lost his place in the #6 Penske-run factory 963 LMDh as the German manufacturer downscales its full-season line-up from three to two drivers per car for 2025.

The 42-year-old stressed that he has no plans to retire from driving whether he remains with Porsche or not.

“I don’t want to retire,” said the German.

“When I stop, that is something that I would like to decide myself.”

Lotterer has been linked to a role with Hyundai, which is developing an LMDh to race with the badges of its premium Genesis brand, but he declined to reveal whether he is in talks with a marque expected to enter the WEC in 2026.

“When something comes to an end, people ask what you could do next?” said Lotterer.

“Regardless of whether I am talking to them, there are other other opportunities for sure.”

Lotterer plumped for the current WEC season, which has so far included wins in Qatar and at Fuji as well as a further three podiums, as the highlight of a stint with Porsche that began in 2017 after his switch from Audi following its withdrawal from the WEC.

“Last season when we came back [to the top class of the WEC] was so-so, but this year we have had a winning car and it is my best time with Porsche,” said Lotterer, who won his first WEC title with Audi in 2012.

He also revealed that he took satisfaction from Porsche’s successes in Formula E after his departure from its squad after three seasons at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

“We worked really hard to have a strong foundation,” he explained.

“What we are seeing now is an evolution of that: it is nice to see the team succeeding.”

Porsche’s factory squad won the FE title in 2023/24 with Pascal Wehrlein after Jake Dennis took the crown in ’22/23 with its powertrain in an Andretti entry.

Spanish star Marc Marquez has led a call by MotoGP riders for the world championship finale not to be staged at Valencia amid the heavy flood damage to have hit the region.

The race is scheduled to be held in two weeks on 15-17 November at Circuit Ricardo Tormo. While the circuit itself is understood to have escaped major issues, there is heavy damage to at least one of the access roads.

Although repairing the local infrastructure is probably a viable option, the feeling in the paddock ahead of this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix is that the finale is in doubt. There is a question mark around the deployment of local emergency services, which may be required for ongoing relief efforts, as well as the moral aspect of racing so soon after a catastrophe that has resulted in many lives being lost.

While MotoGP released a statement on Wednesday saying it is “committed to holding the event on the scheduled date” and emphasised solidarity with the victims at this point, riders including Marquez offered clear positions during Thursday’s media interviews at Sepang.

“Ethically speaking, I don’t think the Valencia Grand Prix should be held,” Marquez stated. “Now [the organisers] have to meet and decide, but [if it were up to me] I would have already decided: there would have to be another race, one to close the championship, but somewhere else.

“The only idea that would make sense would be if all the proceeds [from the event] went to the families [affected]…looking at the pictures from here, if money can be raised to help the people affected, then that would be the only logical option.

“As a Spaniard it is very difficult to see these images. We know that the area around the circuit has been badly damaged, but it doesn’t make sense to spend money on repairing that. Resources should go to helping people.”

Circuit Ricardo Tormo after flooding

Photo by: Paco Alcobendas

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Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro added that he would only be comfortable racing in Valencia if the event served as a fundraiser for the relief effort.

“Right now I think going there to race is the less important thing,” said Spain’s Espargaro, for whom the Valencia finale is scheduled to be a farewell before he heads into retirement.

“It’s not about the facilities. I think the facilities can be repaired. But the hospitals and the emergency [personnel deployment] are more important than to go there and do a sporting show.

“I think if we are able to go there and race, then somehow we have to help.

“We can handle it in different ways. If we can give something back to Valencia, for example if we donate our prize money, I would do it 100%. Or [maybe] Dorna can find some [other] way to help them.  

“It’s a very difficult situation. Hopefully Dorna and the government in Spain will take the right decision.”

Espargaro’s team-mate Maverick Vinales did not go so far as to say the race should be cancelled, but echoed his countrymen as far as the moral aspect was concerned.

“We’re in Malaysia and we need to race, but our minds are in Valencia,” said Vinales. “Racing is an aside: we’re praying for everyone who lost their homes or people. Racing in Valencia is not a priority.”

Driver-turned-FIA-steward Johnny Herbert does not expect a pair of 10-second sanctions at the Mexico Grand Prix will stop Max Verstappen from being aggressive in combat with Formula 1 title rival Lando Norris.

One week on from a controversial off-track overtake from Norris, which saw the McLaren driver handed a five-second penalty in Austin following a robust defence from Verstappen, the Dutchman was himself in trouble with the stewards, being penalised 10 seconds for gaining an advantage by leaving the track, and a second identical penalty for forcing another driver off the track.

With a meeting between the FIA and the drivers scheduled for the Qatar Grand Prix, the penultimate weekend of the season, some rules of engagement may be altered or clarified for the Losail and Abu Dhabi rounds.

But until this point, Herbert – who was one of the FIA stewards at the Mexico GP – believes Verstappen will keep pushing up to and occasionally beyond the letter of the law.

Speaking to Action Network, he said: “Those penalties in Mexico won’t stop Max Verstappen from pushing Lando Norris off the track in the future.

“The whole intention of Verstappen was to try to let Ferrari get the 1-2 finish. I think that’s definitely what Verstappen intended and tried to achieve, I understand why he did it but I don’t agree with it, I don’t think many people do.

Johnny Herbert, former driver and FIA steward, arrives at the track

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

“‘Fair racing’ is something Norris has mentioned before, and that’s the type of fight he wants to have. I don’t see Verstappen’s driving changing because the number one goal is to stop Norris from closing the gap for the drivers’ championship. We potentially still have a lot of interesting racing coming our way.”

McLaren CEO Zak Brown believed the stewards’ action in Mexico was not tough enough, while Red Bull team principal Christian Horner felt it was too harsh.

Offering his thoughts, Herbert added: “It’s the guidelines we followed, the teams agreed with our decisions. The right decision was made, the 20-second penalty for Max Verstappen was not harsh. Was Verstappen’s driving style on the edge or over the top? Yes, it was.

“Verstappen’s driving style was harsh, especially when he’s taking a fellow driver off the track. It’s an absolute no-no from me, current drivers, former drivers and stewards.

“I am such a big fan of Verstappen and it frustrates me massively when he drives the way he did in Mexico. He doesn’t need to do it, he’s so good in the cockpit and at this point in the championship, he just needs to stay out of trouble and drive as well as possible.

“When Verstappen goes into this horrible mindset of trying to gain an advantage by taking a fellow driver off the race track so Ferrari can get the 1-2, that is where Verstappen needs to know he doesn’t have to do that. Just win in the cleanest possible way you can.”

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has insisted his team has done all it can to support a struggling Sergio Perez after a nightmare home weekend in Mexico.

Perez was eliminated in Q1, copped a time penalty for parking forward of his grid spot and then went on to lose further ground after he and RB’s combative Liam Lawson collided in Turn 5, resulting in floor damage.

After conceding to having a “terrible” season, Perez’s calamitous weekend has put further pressure on the 34-year-old to step up, and pressure on Red Bull to reconsider its options for 2025 after sliding to third place in the constructors’ standings.

When pressed on the Mexican’s future, Horner said: “Checo, again, has had a horrible weekend. Nothing has gone right for him this weekend.

“He knows Formula 1 is a results-based business and inevitably, when you’re not delivering, the spotlight is firmly on you.

“There is always going to be scrutiny on that. As a team, we need to have both cars scoring points and that is the nature of Formula 1.”

Asked if that scrutiny applied to 2025 or if Red Bull could make a change sooner than that, Horner confirmed Perez would be in the car in Brazil but didn’t offer much reassurance beyond the upcoming Sao Paulo weekend.

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

“From the team’s perspective, we’re working with him as hard as we can to try to support him,” he added. “We’ve done everything that we can to support Checo and will continue to do so in Brazil next weekend.

“But there comes a point in time that you can only do so much. There comes a point in time that difficult decisions have to be made.

“We’re now third in the constructors’ championship. Our determination is to try and get back into a winning position but it’s going to be a tall order over these next four races.”

Perez was furious with Lawson’s aggressive driving style, blaming the New Zealander – who is in the running for Perez’s seat – for ruining his chance to score points as his floor damage resulted in a big downforce loss.

But Horner didn’t appear to side fully with either driver. “That’s racing. We saw a lot of tough racing out there,” he told Sky Sports F1.

In his print media session, Horner – drawing attention to recent insinuations that Red Bull and RB work together as an entity – then added: “I think it demonstrates that you can see the two teams do race each other and, while having the same ownership, are independent in the way that they go racing.

“Liam has apologised to Checo for the incident and obviously, there will be lessons that come out of that. But it’s frustrating, certainly for Checo’s race, to pick up the damage and lose valuable points.”

Fernando Alonso will be a late arrival at Formula 1’s Brazilian Grand Prix, after needing to return to Europe for treatment for an infection after the Mexico City Grand Prix.

The Spaniard had been unwell in the build-up to last weekend’s race, missing the media day but recovered in time to compete through the three days as he celebrated his 400th F1 weekend.

But Aston Martin says that the intestinal infection that struck him down forced him to travel back to Europe in recent days for treatment from a specialist.

Those efforts appear to have paid off and Alonso is now scheduled to fly to Brazil in time to take part in opening practice on Friday, although he will again miss Thursday’s media activities.

An Aston Martin statement said: “The extra day of treatment has delayed his travel plans to Brazil but ensures he will be ready for this weekend’s racing.”

Although Alonso was able to drive the car in Mexico, he admitted over the course of the weekend that it had not been especially easy for him.

“I’ve been not 100% physically last few days,” he admitted, before ultimately retiring from the race. “But I think this circuit is also not super demanding in terms of G-forces and high speed.”

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

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With Brazil being a sprint race, so extra points available, Alonso will want to make sure that he is in the best physical shape possible to maximise any opportunities that come up.

But were there to be any unexpected complications, then Aston Martin would likely slot in its reserve driver Felipe Drugovich – who will be present at his home race this weekend.

Speaking about his original plans for the event prior to the Alonso situation emerging, the Brazilian said: “I’ll be doing a lot of interviews with local media, keeping across all the sessions when Lance and Fernando are out on track, and supporting the team with feedback.

“I’ll enjoy being home as well. The São Paulo Grand Prix is always one I love attending because I get a lot of attention from the crowd and the media and I try and embrace that. Their support means a lot.”