Nowadays if we talk about a comeback in MotoGP, it is almost automatic to link it to the name of Marc Marquez. Also at Motegi the Gresini Racing driver was called upon to make up for a qualifying that didn’t go as he would have hoped. This time the performance was capital, because the eight-time world champion had set the new Japanese track record, but had it canceled after going to the green exiting turn 4, thus finishing ninth on the grid.
Once again, however, in the race he was able to get back on top, going on to secure another podium placement in the Sprint of the Japanese Grand Prix. A third place also favored by the fall of Pedro Acosta at the end, who threw away the great chance of giving himself his first victory in the premier class, but it cannot be said that in the end Marc did not put on a show, because his duel for the second place with Enea Bastianini was nothing short of exciting, even if it was the Rimini native who came out on top. The outcome of Saturday, therefore, is ultimately positive for #93.
“It was a very good Saturday, above all because I was fast. I concentrated on the race, because I knew I had the pace, even if the tire temperature rose behind Bastianini. We had fun, we got another good podium and that was the goal,” Marquez said.
The driver from Cervera also revealed that he went to Race Control after qualifying, complaining about the too long it took to notify him of the cancellation of his time: “I didn’t go there to have the lap cancelled, because it’s clear that I was went on the green, but why did it take them so long to tell us, without giving me the chance to make another attempt.”
Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing
Photo credit: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“We are experts in making life difficult for ourselves: we showed we were fast in qualifying, but I touched the green and the notification arrived very late. They told me there was a notification problem, I don’t know if it was with the wifi (laughs). Once I had made the time I didn’t want to risk it, because the conditions were treacherous, but if I had known earlier that they had canceled that lap, I would have tried to do another one to try to get further up the grid. But once once qualifying was over, I concentrated on the race and on trying to stay close to the leaders, which is the most important thing,” he added.
This time the comeback wasn’t favored by a jaw-dropping start, because there was also a small hitch, but in general it was a good race: “The start was acceptable, but up until turn 5 I couldn’t deactivate the lowering device and I didn’t feel comfortable. I managed to catch up with Martin and pass him, then the tire pressure went up and I had to calm down again and I managed to attack Enea, but he He defended himself very well.”
Tomorrow, however, he will have to start again from the third row, so another attack race is expected, even if tire management will also be fundamental: “The conditions were difficult, but the track record was broken and the race was very fast. Tomorrow we’ll see, because the race is very long and the tires are in trouble in the second half. Everything will depend on the start and the first lap, if we manage to stay in front it will be fine.”
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