Michael Laverty says Jorge Martin 'answered every call' in epic win at Thailand MotoGP - 'It was all about heart'

Jorge Martin "answered every call" in Sunday's epic win at the Thailand Grand Prix, TNT Sports expert Michael Laverty said.

Martin secured victory in dramatic fashion, reclaiming top position from Brad Binder on the penultimate lap and fought tooth and nail to see the job through.

The Spaniard's triumph reduces the gap on championship leader Francesco Bagnaia to 13 points.

Bagnaia bagged the runner-up spot to limit the damage to his title defence ambitions.

"Three riders on top of their game, and that’s why it means so much for Jorge today because he had to fight for it," reflected Laverty.

"He didn’t have the extra pace, he didn’t have an extra bit of grip from tyre. It was all about heart, it was fight. He was taking risks because when you’ve got a championship hanging in the balance, you are worried about losing the front and throwing away 25 points.

"He answered every call today and when it’s Brad Binder, you can feel him behind you because Brad is an absolute animal. He fights every single corner. Martin kept his cool, he responded – he was so good today. If he does win the title at the end of the season, he’ll look back at this race and think that’s where he dug deep for it."

Speaking to TNT Sports, Martin said he was "so happy" with the result.

"This feeling is amazing because today I wasn’t any better than them. I had the same tools, same tyres, but I didn’t have better pace than them," he said.

"I had to push more than 100% in the last lap to stay in front. The pace was great, the management was great. I know hard moments are tough but they make you stronger."

While Binder was disappointed with losing the lead, he had no regrets with his performance or effort.

"I tried my best today, I left nothing on the table," he said.

"I tried my absolute best to keep as much rubber for the end as I could, and when I saw my opportunity I tried to go. But one lap after that the base rubber hit and that was it for my rear tyre.

"I’m really happy with the way we rode today. My team did a terrific job and I’m sure the win is coming."

- - -

TNT Sports presents the premium live sports rights previously carried by BT Sport including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, MotoGP, Cricket, UFC, Boxing and WWE. The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination. You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media