Метка: Gresini Racing

Marquez hopes Jerez MotoGP podium ‘start of my second life’ after 2020 injury

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


The Gresini rider scored a first pole on the Ducati at Jerez last weekend and was leading the sprint race before crashing out.

In the 25-lap grand prix, he battled his way back from dropping to fourth early to fight with reigning double world champion Francesco Bagnaia on the factory Ducati for the victory.

Ultimately coming away with second, it was a result that meant a lot to the eight-time world champion after badly breaking his right arm at Jerez in 2020.

Four surgeries would follow, as well as other injury woes, while during this period – which he described as his «nightmare» – Honda’s form deteriorated considerably, forcing him to quit for Gresini Ducati this year.

«I mean, four years ago my nightmare started,» he told motogp.com’s After the Flag. «And it was super tough. 

«But I hope and I wish that right now my second life starts.

«It’s true that it was a nightmare, it’s true that still, we don’t go out from that negative moment. But step by step we have positive and good news.

«I want to thank all the people around me, I want to thank all the people who support me a lot, I want to thank Honda for respecting my decision, I want to thank Gresini and Ducati for giving the opportunity to ride this year for them.

«I’m enjoying and I’m happy. If I’m happy I’m fast.»

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Expanding on his race, Marquez says the crash in the sprint race and his fall from the lead of the Americas Grand Prix weighed «super heavy on the shoulders» but still felt Sunday «was the day to be on the podium».

«As you know if I’m there the show is there,» he said. «Always we try. It doesn’t matter where we come from because we are coming from the shit.

«It’s true, what we can say on the race is that the small mistake was on those first five laps.

«I’m human and the mistake from yesterday was super heavy on the shoulders. And I was very stiff and I saw many crashes in Moto2 and I was extra careful, then the others overtook me.

«But today was the time to be on the podium but to not crash again because to crash three races in a row is too much for a rider.

«So, even like this, I tried. I had the speed, the speed was super good.

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team, Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team, Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

«When I overtook Bezzecchi and I had fresh air, the bike was incredible. I was riding so fast, flowing, and I caught Pecco.

«That first move was the time to win the race, but he defended – aggressively, but in a good way.

«This is racing and he played his cards well.

«I did one more lap behind him and the front tyre temperature went up, so then it was impossible to brake hard. But I need to say also he surprised me with that fast lap in the last two laps.»

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Marquez’s Jerez MotoGP duel with Bagnaia «like old times»

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


The Gresini rider qualified on pole for the first time on a Ducati before going on to score his first grand prix podium after a thrilling 25-lap race at Jerez on Sunday.

Marquez locked horns with Bagnaia in the latter stages of the grand prix, with the pair engaging twice at Turn 9 on laps 21 and 22.

On the first attempt, Marquez launched his bike up the inside of Bagnaia’s at Turn 9, before the latter retaliated at Turn 10 as the pair ended up making contact.

Both survived this and Bagnaia came through into the lead, defending a second attempt from Marquez on the following tour.

Marquez ultimately lost out on the win by 0.372s to Bagnaia and admitted he was «a bit stiff» in the early laps having crashed out of the lead of the Americas GP and the Jerez sprint.

«It was an important race – a super important race,» he said.

«In the beginning, I was a little bit stiff because I crashed in Austin, I crashed yesterday and in the beginning with the full [fuel] tank I was stiff and I lost some positions.

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

«But the speed was there to come back, the speed was there to fight with Bagnaia.

«It was a tight fight, even like old times. This is good, it’s racing. I tried to close the door, but he was inside and this is something that happens in the racing.

«On the last lap, he was super good, he pushed, and he did the fastest lap of the race. And then I tried to follow him but he had a bit more.

«But I’m super happy for this first [grand prix] podium. As you see, it doesn’t matter what happened in the past – just I fight until the end.»

Second at Jerez marked Marquez’s first grand prix podium since the wet Japanese GP last year, a few days after which he informed Honda he would be leaving the team at the end of 2023.

Not since the 2022 Australian GP has Marquez stood on a grand prix podium in the dry.

He now sits sixth in the standings on 60 points, 32 behind championship leader Jorge Martin after the Pramac rider crashed out of the Spanish GP while leading on lap 11.

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Marquez COTA MotoGP sprint podium was “unexpected” as “feeling was terrible”

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Marquez qualified his 2023-spec Ducati third on the grid and leaped up to second off the line behind eventual winner Maverick Vinales.

Seeing off an early threat from Tech3 rookie Pedro Acosta, Marquez stormed away to a second successive runner-up result in the sprints.

But Marquez says this result was better than expected as he battled problems on the bike that “took time to resolve” with his riding style.

“I mean, honestly, today that second place was something unexpected because it’s true that this morning we did a step, but from lap three, four, five the feeling was terrible,” he said.

“I started to have a few problems that during the practice were not there. And this created [a situation where] I was not focused enough, and it took time to resolve those problems with the riding style.

“But then I was waiting for my moment and then I was able to avoid a bit those problems and be faster and more constant on that sector one especially where I was losing a lot.

“And this gave me the chance to open a gap in the last laps.”

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Pramac’s Jorge Martin, who finished third, said he struggled with the rear vibration issues that has struck him at various points already this season.

Marquez said he had similar problems, saying: “Still we need to understand what is going on.”

Asked to compare his two sprint podiums in 2024, Marquez says the fact he was able to finish second behind the limits of the Ducati at COTA gives it more value than his Portugal runner-up result.

“I mean, for example in Portimao… it’s different,” he explained. “In Portimao the feeling with the bike was better. I was riding in a better way.

“Today here [at COTA] I was not riding well. I think I can improve some things in my riding style, but even like this I was able to be second.

“In Portimao I was riding perfect and I finished second. So, this gives me the chance that I’m not in the limit of the bike, so let’s see if tomorrow we can be more constant on that lap time because Vinales was super constant and super-fast.”

Watch: What we learned on Friday | 2024 #AmericasGP

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Marquez «would sign» first Ducati Sunday MotoGP podium at COTA despite win record

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


The eight-time grand prix world champion has won seven times at the Circuit of the Americas in his MotoGP career, starting with his maiden victory in 2013.

Winning every year at COTA between 2013 and 2018, Marquez last won at the circuit in 2021.

Having achieved a first sprint podium on the Gresini Ducati in Portugal last month, many have viewed Austin as the place where Marquez could get his first win on the GP23.

But speaking on Thursday ahead of the third round of the 2024 campaign, Marquez moved to downplay this.

«Obviously, we arrive at a good race track for my riding style,» he said. «In the past, we achieved many good results. But right now still, as I saw in Portimao, there are three, four riders faster than me.

«So, let’s see if here I can be a bit closer.

«If today you say you will achieve your first podium, I would sign [for it]. Before a victory, the podium must arrive [first]. So, let’s see step by step.»

Wayne Rainey, Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Wayne Rainey, Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

While noting that COTA suits his riding style, he knows how he approaches the circuit «will be different» on the Ducati compared to the Honda given the «completely different concepts» of the machines.

«Of course, they are completely different concepts of bike and being ridden in a different way,» he said comparing the Honda and Ducati with his COTA riding style.

«Honda was super strong in those stop-and-go corners, as for example Alex Rins showed here last year the bike was working well, as me and Joan Mir did in India more or less.

«Let’s see how the Ducati is working here. I know it will be different, but my target is to try to flow on this track.

«It’s a race track that I like and when you arrive on a race track you like, at least you enjoy.

«So, we will try to enjoy it and then we will see. Of course, there are two, three riders who are super fast and they have been fast in the past here.

«So, it will be difficult to achieve that victory, because as I say first of all better results must first arrive in Sunday races because at the moment we were not able to even fight for the podium.»

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