With changeable conditions usually a major strength of his, day-one of the Emilia-Romagna MotoGP was a relatively subdued one for Marc Marquez who could only manage 14th.
Marc Marquez’s seventh COTA MotoGP win clinches milestone 450th premier class podium for Repsol Honda; ‘It’s an amazing number and highlights the great history that Repsol and HRC have made together’, says Team Manager Alberto Puig.
Marc Marquez will start on the front row of a MotoGP grid for the first time in over a year after claiming P3 at COTA; ‘Of course, happy to be in the front row. We know one of our weak points is the qualifying practice, but today we were able to manage it in a good way’.
Marc Marquez says the recently rolled out 2022 prototype Honda has some of the biggest differences he can remember since joining MotoGP; ‘in Misano we tried the 2022 prototype and it was a big difference, one of the biggest differences since I joined Honda’.
With MotoGP returning to Austin, Texas, could a second premier class win since his return be on the cards for Marc Marquez? Spaniard ‘looking forward’ to being at a track ‘I always enjoy’.
Repsol Honda Team Manager, Alberto Puig, believes the British MotoGP showing from Pol Espargaro is an indication of the Spaniard returning ‘to his true level’.
Marc Marquez says the ‘level’ he’s at this weekend is one that needs to continue for the remainder of 2021, with a view to being a title challenger next season; ‘Here we are competitive and we need to keep that level. It makes no sense to be fast at one track, not fast at another.”
Pol Espargaro compares his impressive day-one at the British MotoGP to that of Le Mans earlier in the season; ‘Yeah it was a good day. In Le Mans I was in a little bit better shape, but to ride like this, I really enjoy’.
Marc Marquez expects ‘many’ riders to be challenging at Silverstone, while Pol Espargaro's sole focus is to ‘fix the problems’ he encountered during the Austrian MotoGP weekend.
Repsol Honda Team Manager, Alberto Puig believes Marc Marquez is close to reaching his full potential after fighting for victory at the Austrian MotoGP before a late crash.
Marc Marquez finds ‘interesting’ improvements as he qualifies fifth for the Austrian MotoGP; ‘sometimes when you try big things you find something interesting and this happened’.
Marc Marquez says Honda and he will need to improve for 2022 if they are to become MotoGP contenders once again, while a personal goal is being ‘as before’ in relation to riding the same way as 2019 and earlier.
Even though he was fast in both dry and wet conditions, Marc Marquez was not entirely happy with day-one at the Styrian MotoGP, as ‘I expected much better’ from physical condition.
A return to full fitness could be close for six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez after increasing his training during the summer break; ‘I am feeling better and stronger. I’ve been spending more time on bikes and even returning to riding motocross.”