After a more than encouraging start to 2022 in Qatar, Honda is back in the rear in Mandalika in Indonesia, a race in which Marc Marquez he could not take part due to the high-side which saw him protagonist in the warm-up despite himself. The accident caused the vertical diplopia in the right eye to resurface for the eight-time world champion and the ophthalmic checkup sustained on Monday did not give the OK to the Catalan to return to the track, who in all probability will also have to miss the Grand Prix of the United States scheduled for next week in Texas.
In place of Marc Marquez, Honda has decided to give space to Stefan Bradl, a test rider who already in 2020 and 2021 made up for the sometimes prolonged absence of the 1993 class. Honda’s hope is to return to the levels of Lusail and not to the abyss Indonesian on a track on which the World Championship has not made a stop since 2019. In the past Marc Marquez dominated at Termas de Rio Hondo, a track that also exalted Cal Crutchlow, often able to get on the podium and winner in the 2018 edition. “I want to get the bar back straight after the difficult Mandalika weekend – the words of Pol Espargarò – I am close to the top of the championship and I want to express myself again on the levels of Qatar in Argentina. At Termas de Rio Hondo in the past I have always felt good as Honda has been effective and therefore we look to the weekend with optimism ”.
Stefan Bradl he will have to remove some rust in Argentina since he has not raced on the track built by the Italian Dromo since 2016: “First of all, I wish Marc Marquez a speedy recovery, his absence is heavy for everyone in Honda. In the meantime I will try to give my best, I know the bike well thanks to the many kilometers covered in the tests, I will have to get used to the Argentine track a bit since I haven’t raced there since 2016. It will certainly be a challenging weekend “.
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