Mick Doohan ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚinsists both Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin are “desperate” for the MotoGP title - but has assessed their different perspectives.

Heading into this weekend’s penultimate round of the season in Malaysia, Martin has a 17-point lead ahea✱d of Bagnaia at the top of the championship.

But the entire season has been laden with errors from both riders meaning the final two rounds will🌞 be on a knife-edge.

“It’s close between Bagnaia and Mart🌳in,” motorcycle racing legend Doohan said.

“They are on the same bike in different colours.

“Both are desperate to continue on.

“Bagn🌼aia is experienced now, going for his third championship.

“It’s really difficult to choose who’s going to do what. I don’t know whether it’s the tyres or the character of the bike, bu♚t it seems easy to lose the front tyre grip now. Even if you’re not doing too much wrong, it’ll fall.

“I’ve never been a gambling ๊man so I can’t choose who will come out on top, they are both very strong.

“It’s exciting for the championship and I think it🌄’ll go to Valencia.”

Bagnaia brings experience into the final two rounds, having won the championship twice already. On both occasions, he needed to do the business at the final round♏ in Valencia to secure the prize.

Martin, however, was denied ♍harไshly last year and knows that next year he will leave behind the best bike on the grid.

Is experience or desperation more important?

“It’s a difficult question to answer because Bagnaia knows what he’s got, does𓃲n’t want to lose it. He 🌊wants to hang onto it,” Doohan said.

“Martin, last year, was close. He wants to achieve his goal. I was similar to that a few✃ times, as well.

“Who’s pushing the hardest? I’m not sure…

“Bagnaia knows what he’s got to lose so that will keep his motivated, and Martin ༒knows he can’t make a mistake.”

The other factor, of course, iꦇs the interven💟tion of other rivals.

Marc Marquez has been questioned repeatedly about what role he will play in the final two rounds, now th✤a꧃t his own title dream has finished for the year.