Jorge Martin will be "almost 100% fit" in Portugal as heroic Qatar display keeps title hopes alive

Jorge Martin , who finished seventh in Sunday's MotoGP race at Lusail, showcased his trademark resilience throughout the weekend in Qatar. Resilience that saw him go from considering skipping the race entirely early in the week to not only competing but delaying Marc Marquez's title celebrations. Once again, MotoGP's Asian flyaway races have proven decisive in the outcome of the world championship, which is now firmly within Marquez's grasp. The Ducati rider could be crowned champion in two weeks' time, but that he failed to seal the title in Qatar was thanks to Marco Bezzecchi's speed and Martin's resilience. Read Also: MotoGP Qatar GP: Marco Bezzecchi wins as Marc Marquez has title triumph delayed Over the course of this week, Martin went from contemplating staying in Spain and missing the race at Lusail, because of the pain caused by the fracture in his right wrist, to finishing third in Saturday's sprint and seventh in Sunday's grand prix. Despite losing further ground to Marquez, the Aprilia rider demonstrated a remarkable ability to endure pain, earning praise from most of his rivals. His achievement was all the more impressive considering he started from 11th on the grid - 10th on Sunday after Francesco Bagnaia 's withdrawal - which made his task even more difficult and increased the level of risk he had to take. "I'm proud of what I've done because on Monday and Tuesday I didn't even want to come here, and in the end I managed to finish both races," said Martin in his Spanish interview on Sunday evening. "We're going to Portugal still in with a chance. It's getting harder and harder, but we're still there." Although the injury is less serious than initially feared, the limitations it imposes on him when changing direction and braking are evident, particularly over a long run or race. Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing Team "I can't ride properly, I can't brake properly and I can't push the bike to the limit. It was really tough towards the end. For the last three laps, I just wanted the race to be over." In the sprint, Martin benefited from his last-minute decision to use the soft rear tyre, which allowed him to gain several positions through the opening corners. On Sunday, with everyone running the same tyre specification, the playing field was more level. "There was a lot of risk in the opening corners. The key was qualifying, because starting so far back didn't help me," explained the #89, who was physically exhausted by the end of the race. "My hand is swollen up like a melon, but I think I'll be almost 100% fit in Portugal. I'm tough and stubborn. There's something inside me that keeps pushing me to fight," concluded Martin, who will head to the Algarve circuit 60 points behind Marquez and 14 ahead of Bezzecchi. To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website .