“Need to try something” - Alex Marquez faces unusual Aragon MotoGP sector deficit
Alex Marquez was fastest in three of Aragon’s MotoGP sectors but could only manage 11th in the other, costing him the top spot on Friday.
Alex Marquez finished day one of the Aragon MotoGP as the fastest rider in sectors one, two and four of the Spanish circuit.
But the Gresini Ducati rider was only 11th quickest in sector three, losing 0.3s to Marc Marquez and Marco Bezzecchi - far more than the tiny 0.010s needed to overall Bezzecchi for P1 on Friday.
“I’m always missing something there in all the categories!,” smiled Alex Marquez, when asked what was happening in that sector.
“But today it was a little bit too much. Last year I was losing like one tenth or a tenth and a half - but not three!
“I did some mistakes and didn’t put everything together, but especially on the braking point to Turn 12 I am losing a lot.
“I am not feeling one hundred percent with the front tyre. So tomorrow we need to try something on that point to make a step.”
Like many riders, Marquez said the “difficult to understand” Aragon grip, combined with the amount of braking at lean angle, means he is battling with the front end.
“For me it is not the rear, more the front feeling and how to stop the bike and to make the corner entry fast. It is where I am losing a bit more and especially with the locking on the front tyre,” said Alex, runner-up to Marc last season.
“I think it is also the layout. Many brake points on the downhill and things like that, but when you go to a place like Motegi you also have a lot of locking on the front tyre.
“So it's is one of these types of circuit where you need to survive a lot on entry.
“But it is also true that when conditions are like this you can make more of a difference on that point.
“When everything is really on the limit, then the rider skills are more important.
“For example, Marc or the guys who like to go in a little sideways or have more front feeling, are the ones that are making more difference in those conditions.”
Overall, Alex feels the riders either side of him on the timesheet, Bezzecchi ahead and brother Marc behind, still have the edge on race pace.
“Still, I feel I am a little bit far from Marc and Bezzecchi, who have something more," he said.
“Difficult to compare because they did a comparison with the tyres and I stayed with the medium rear, but the feeling is that we are one step behind them.”
Team-mate Fermin Aldeguer, returning from injury, was fifth fastest.
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.
