Marc Marquez: MotoGP rivals must ‘do something wrong’ for Balaton chance
Marc Marquez says only mistakes from his MotoGP rivals will give him a chance of fighting near the front at Balaton Park.
Marc Marquez believes he will only be in contention for a podium at this weekend’s Hungarian MotoGP if his rivals make mistakes.
The reigning champion returned from shoulder surgery at Mugello last weekend, choosing one of the most physically demanding circuits on the calendar to assess his recovery from a compressed radial nerve.
Although Marquez showed flashes of his old speed by qualifying as the leading Ducati rider in fourth, he faded to seventh in the grand prix and finished more than ten seconds behind race winner Marco Bezzecchi.
With only a few days between Mugello and Balaton Park, Marquez is not expecting a dramatic improvement in his condition.
“After Mugello, my best friend was the ice, to cool everything down and try to recover,” smiled Marquez, who also has a healing foot fracture from Le Mans.
“In three days, you don't feel any change. I hope to feel a change between Balaton and Brno.
“But I know it will take us some weeks.
“I also need to be confident again with the bike, but first of all I need to fix my physical condition.”
“Marco and Martin are on another level”
Balaton Park should, in theory, suit Marquez much more.
The anti-clockwise, stop-start circuit played into his strengths last season, when he claimed pole position and won both races.
But the Ducati rider insists the situation is very different this year.
“No, forget [it],” Marquez replied when asked about fighting for victory.
“I mean if I fight for the win or for the podium it means that the others are doing something not in a good way.
“In Mugello last year I also did the pole and won both races.
“So same mentality here. Just try to work on myself.
“Now especially Marco and Martin, and other riders, are on another level.
“As they showed me in Mugello, they are much faster.”
The Spaniard heads into the weekend holding eighth in the world championship, 102 points behind Aprilia rider Bezzecchi, who extended his title lead with victory over team-mate Jorge Martin at Mugello.
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Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
