Fermin Aldeguer admits “I was playing the lottery” - but Marc Marquez already knew

Marc Marquez noticed far earlier in the French MotoGP weekend that Fermin Aldeguer was producing some eye-catching data.

Aldeguer went fourth-fastest in Friday practice and qualifying, then completed the podium behind the Marquez brothers in Saturday’s sprint.

A candid chat between the three podium finishers revealed how Aldeguer admitted he was "playing the lottery" - but it paid off for the rookie.

Marc Marquez and Fermin Aldeguer admissions revealed

Marquez asked Aldeguer: “Did you finish well, or not? The rear tyre dropped, didn’t it?”

Aldeguer: “I didn’t expect it.”

Marquez: “Me neither.”

Aldeguer was sat between the Marquez brothers in a car on the way to the podium celebration.

Marc Marquez teased him: “This is a sign for [Sunday]...”

Aldeguer responded: “Shut up!”

Marquez said: “You’ve got good pace.”

Aldeguer: “I feel good, honestly.”

Marquez: “At Turn 3, where you crashed, you were already taking risks [on Friday].”

Aldeguer: “[Saturday morning] too! It wasn’t like that, I was playing the lottery.”

Marquez: “I saw the telemetry. They said to me: ‘Aldeguer is really quick between Turn 1 and 3’. He’s getting a lottery ticket!”

Aldeguer: “You could have told me!”

Marquez: “What am I going to say? Maybe you felt fine.”

Aldeguer: “I was harder on the brakes. When the temperature is like this, you can take risks.”

Aldeguer will start Sunday’s grand prix from fourth on the grid, aiming to spoil the fun of the Marquez brothers and pole-sitter Fabio Quartararo again.

The MotoGP rookie has enjoyed the best premier class round of his year so far at Le Mans.