Marc Marquez “far from the podium” after Silverstone MotoGP practice

Ducati’s Marc Marquez admits he is “far from the podium” after practice at the MotoGP British Grand Prix.

Silverstone has typically been one of Marc Marquez’s weaker tracks on the MotoGP calendar, though he came away with a podium from last year’s British Grand Prix.

However, struggling more with the fitness in his right arm compared to this time last year, Marquez was 0.733s off the best pace in sixth on Friday at Silverstone.

Speaking to the media afterwards, he said he was not in the podium battle at this stage.

“It was a day that we already expected,” the Ducati rider said.

“Looks like here normally Aprilia, for the flowing corners, it’s normally the strongest point of that bike, especially like Assen or here.

“We are working well, trying to find the best, and at the moment we are far from the podium; closer to the top five, but even I’m not in the top five.

“So, we need to work to try to be in that top five.”

Silverstone was always poised to be a circuit where Marquez limits the damage ahead of a more favourable circuit in Aragon in two weeks’ time.

Asked by Crash if the feelings he is having on Friday are similar to those at the Dutch Grand Prix at Assen, he replied: "A little bit more potential than Assen, I believe, but similar position.

“But I feel I’m a bit more optimistic than Assen.”

“My riding style is my riding style”

Though Aprilia was fastest on Friday at Silverstone, Ducati still has fast riders in Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio who could mount a podium challenge.

Marc Marquez says his riding style is hard to change at 33 years old, while admitting he is slower in his stronger parts of the Silverstone track compared to last year’s British Grand Prix.

“I mean, of course, the bikes have strong points and weak points,” he added.

“And we already understood this season that Aprilia, where it’s flowing corners, is faster than us, and where there’s stop-and-go corners, we are faster than them.

“So, saying that, my riding style, since 2013, I’m struggling in the same circuits and I’m strong in the same ones. So, in those flowing corners is where I struggle.

“I learned that in some points he’s [Alex Marquez] super-fast, and when I try to copy and try to follow him, it was even worse because I was overriding and I was losing even more.

“It’s the character of the rider. At 33 years old, I can adapt a bit, but my riding style is my riding style.

“It’s true that last year I was struggling in the same points as this year, but I was able to recover in those changes of direction or something.

“But this year, no. But in the points I was strong last year I’m a bit slower, because we know the reason. Let’s see if we can try to manage and enjoy the weekend; it doesn’t matter the position.”