A pole position in Japan and a podium in Australia. For Marc Marquez, the signs of a “true” recovery of his right arm begin to be numerous and important. It took four operations and a lot of suffering, but the Honda rider now manages to stay consistently at the top and is not a small step forward.
At Phillip Island he had the great opportunity to return to victory, even if in the final he had to bow to Suzuki by a truly amazing Alex Rins. But it is in the little things that you can see that Marc is coming back, because today he also had the courage to risk the soft tire on the rear, a choice that only he made on the grid, but which paid off, allowing him to play and go. to take the first podium of this disappointing 2022.
“I’m happy because I felt strong from start to finish and that’s the most important thing. We took a risk from the start because we chose the soft rear tire, even though I think it was the right move. because with this Honda you have to look for something different from the others “, said Marquez to the microphones of Sky Sport MotoGP HD.
“I tried to manage it at the beginning to attack at the end and I succeeded. I had pace, I felt strong and I tried in every way to win, but Rins made an amazing last lap, because he defended well and I always prevented from taking the inside. However, I got really close, so I’m happy with how it went, “he added.
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
That he was really happy was seen very well during the return lap, when he stopped under his fans to celebrate almost as if it were a victory. After all, Marc did not deny knowing that this was a great opportunity for him and for Honda, so he is satisfied with the way in which he managed to exploit it.
“The first thing that makes me happy is that it was a fun race. Then if we think about where I come from, to everything I’ve been through this year, I couldn’t even imagine a podium. After feeling strong in Thailand, I knew that Phillip Island and Valencia were two good opportunities to be a little closer. In Malaysia we will certainly struggle more, because we also have to work on the bike. “
“Now I am destroyed, but not physically, it is more a mental thing: I was very careful all weekend and I was nervous before the race, because I knew it was an opportunity. For me it was like a final, I knew it was today. the day to do it. It was important for me, for the team, also in view of this winter, and we did it. “
A result that is also the result of Honda’s new mindset, which for some races now has been allowing him to also use an aluminum swingarm made by an external supplier such as Kalex. “I raced with the aluminum one,” explained Marc. “This weekend we have always used that, we have not tried the carbon swingarm again, but we will certainly have to do it in the future.”
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