Marc Marquez contested his last race with Honda in Valencia, after 11 years with the Japanese brand and six titles in the premier class. Ahead of his move to the Gresini Ducati team next year, the eight-time world champion managed to reach the podium in the Sprint and felt he had the pace to do so again in the long race.
However, Marquez ended up in the gravel on the third lap after an accident with Jorge Martin: “I would like to feel better to get off to the best possible start with Tuesday’s tests, but it was a big impact, especially on the head and ankle,” he began. “But nothing is broken, so that’s the most important thing.”
“And also my neck, because I ended up in the gravel. But fortunately this time it wasn’t our mistake. We didn’t end our relationship with Honda positively or the way I would have liked, because, honestly, I faced the weekend as if I were fighting for the championship. I was fully concentrated for all the laps, all the races and all the tests. Yesterday we took the podium. I don’t like to say it, but today the podium was possible because the pace was there It was, I felt strong and I managed the tyres.”
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team crash
Marquez added that Martin was “a little too optimistic” in his attempt to overtake at Turn 4 when they collided, but he understands his position and said this did not detract from the emotions of his final race with Honda. “Jorge was a little too optimistic in that overtaking, but I understand it,” he said.
“I won’t go against him. I understand his mentality perfectly. I can imagine that he was only looking at the red Pecco Bagnaia in front of him and that he was attacking. He has already spoken to me and apologized. But that doesn’t take away the fact that emotions of the weekend were very nice. We had a really nice event… I don’t want to say goodbye, but rather ‘see you later’ for the event with all the Honda staff. And even today in the garage there were a lot of emotions “.
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