After the Grand Prix at Misano in similar conditions, we wondered if Marc Márquez still had it under his belt and was playing cat and mouse with Andrea Dovizioso.
But no, the Honda driver gave everything he had during this Japanese Grand Prix, so much so that a mistake on the last lap cost him victory, despite a final “optimistic” attempt in the last corner…
Having barely got off his official Honda RC213V, Marc Márquez spoke to the microphone of the site MotoGP.com.
Congratulations on this second place here in Motegi! What an exciting race! Do you think that little mistake at turn eight cost you the victory?
Marc Márquez : “yes (laughs). It was an incredible race! The two guys fighting for the championship fought until the last corner, and I tried! Yes, on the last lap I saw that I had a small advantage, but I made a small mistake, then, at turn 8, a big mistake, and I lost a lot. He caught me well, and on the back straight I knew the Ducati was a little faster. And even when braking, it was faster. But I tried at the last corner, like in Austria. OK, at this circuit I expected him to be very, very strong, but now we go to Phillip Island and maybe it will be different. »
Photo credit: MotoGP.com
