Marc Márquez made the third fastest time in the MotoGP Spanish GP practice session. The Gresini rider threatened to be the fastest this Friday in Jerez, but ended up two positions behind the leader, being 0.143s slower.
Asked if he knows what Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) is doing better in the last sector to be faster there, the Spanish rider commented that it is something to study… but pointed out a positive aspect:
– It is something to analyze this afternoon. It is true that this morning comparing with the other Ducati riders I was faster everywhere, but this afternoon with those windy conditions I had difficulties in those last two fast corners and also had difficulties in corner five – it is a corner in the same direction, it is a right turn, where the wind is pushing. And I had more difficulties than usual. But the good thing is that even losing maybe 0.2s there, I need to analyze well, I am 0.1s slower than him [Bagnaia]. So, this is the most positive thing.
Regarding his learnings this Friday in Jerez, Márquez commented: ‘The good thing is that we can stop talking about adaptation, I mean, the adaptation is already finished. Now is the time to work on the small details. My adaptation to the bike, I feel that I am more prepared inside the bike – as I showed today in FP1, I go out and I am immediately fast. But it is true that in every race we have small problems, something here, something there, and we have not yet put everything together in one weekend. So, let’s see if we can do it in this one, in the next ones, and achieve that first podium. This will be a good goal in the next two races’.
And #93 stressed that the goal at this moment is to aim for the podium before looking for the victory: ‘The goal right now is the podium. We have achieved podiums in the Sprint, but in the main race the best result is fourth place in Qatar. It wasn’t a podium. First, you need to be on the podium, then after the podium, be there consistently, and then try to find the moment for the victory. We had a good chance in Austin, but we didn’t take advantage of it. Let’s see if we can do it in the future, but right now the first goal is the podium’.
Despite considering the adaptation to the bike as completed, Márquez explained that there was no radical change to his riding style, also starting to adapt the bike to himself: ‘My riding style is made for Honda, and then I try to adapt it, but in the end the adaptation to the bike existed and now we are starting to bring the bike to my riding style as well. And this is something that helps me a lot and is the reason why I start to be fast immediately and more consistent. You can adapt some things, but it’s impossible to change your riding style that you have been using for ten years’.
