Marquez: “We are here, we are not far away”

Subscribed to pole positions and the front rows before his injury in 2020, Marc Marquez has experienced highs and especially lows since his return last year. Tomorrow, the Honda driver will start from number 10^e position on the grid… a somewhat unusual place, but which is no longer shocking. 

To ensure his entry into Q2, Marquez was even seen following closely fabio quartararo. “This morning, I felt that I had the speed,” he emphasizes. Ok, you can say I followed Fabio, but before I did I shot 31.9. The times came more easily and I knew the speed was there. But this afternoon, in FP4, the feeling was not good. In my second run I tried to ride alone, to find a way to ride in these conditions, but I crashed trying to figure out where I could push harder. The feeling was already not good, but after the fall it was worse. During qualifying, I returned to the track and again the feeling was not good. I gave my maximum, even with the second tire (rear), I put the soft at the front, to see if I had a better feeling. This was the case, because it was too soft. We'll see tomorrow. If there are some clouds, then maybe we will have a better pace, but not the pace to win or fight for the podium. This is a pace for fifth, sixth and seventh position. »

. @FabioQ20 & @marcmarquez93 🤝🥰#FrenchGP | #MotoGP

▶: https://t.co/Q9uXtTYtRy pic.twitter.com/V0RoLZozN2

— CANAL+ MotoGP™ (@CanalplusMotoGP) May 14, 2022

After making a mistake in FP4, Marquez did not want to pick up his machine to start again. Still diminished, he waited for the commissioners to help him. “As I said, I have some limitations in my arm and shoulder,” he recalls. I tried to be calm and not stress him out, especially yesterday. So when I crashed, I preferred to save the energy to ride the bike. »

Discreet since the opening of the season, the Catalan confesses that it is easier to talk about his situation. “It’s getting easier and easier to admit,” he said. At first it was harder, and you don't want to admit it. But ultimately, you have to come to terms with it. If every time you try to be faster or closer to the top riders, you crash or make a few mistakes or suffer more because you are over-driving, you have to admit it (…) All engineers work , but it seems that since our return to Europe on narrower circuits, we are suffering a little more. » 

It's not a good sight for @marcmarquez93 💥

He loses the front end into turn 9 but should be ok to ride in Q2 👀#MotoGP | #FrenchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/rBQDYOtlEE

- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) May 14, 2022

Regarding his physical condition, he also wants to reassure. “I feel good in terms of physical conditions, but I cannot ride as I want and in the right way,” he says. Apart from that, I understood that on Friday I have to slow down to save money. FP3 is one of the most important sessions of the weekend and qualifying is all about trying to survive. If you start from the first three lines, you have a chance to fight for something. It is true that tomorrow we start from the fourth row, but we are there, we are not far. We'll see, the race is long and if I'm lucky the window will be more open. »