Alberto Puig takes stock not only of the last Thai Grand Prix, but also of the two others completed successively in Aragon and Japan. A truth series on the state of form of Marc Marquez who returned to competition, a little over 100 days after his last and delicate operation on his right arm. The Repsol Honda team manager, who boasts less about the supposed genetic superiority of the world's leading manufacturer that he represents since Marc Marquez returned to his box, is delighted with the return of the prodigy who once again amazed at HRC...
Because we must remember the objectives assigned to this return at the end of the 2022 season: to ride, build and rebuild in preparation for the 2023 season. But Marc Marquez obviously does better than that. In Aragon, the racing facts eliminated him while both in Japan and in Thailand he played for the podium. At Motegi, he even started from pole position after a wet qualifying session. The same conditions were presented in Buriram for the race, but Alberto Puig assures that it would have been better to have dry bitumen… “ Marc gave a great performance, but if the race had been dry, he probably would have fought a lot harder ».
That being said, he recognizes that another motorcycle can be better than one Honda, which must cost him a lot. He mentions: “ Marc Marquez fought the entire race against a Ducati which had a better performance. Therefore, it was impossible for him to overcome them ". He even insists: “ Ducatis have better performance and it is difficult to overtake them ».
Alberto Puig: “ these ten days will be very beneficial to recharge your batteries before Phillip Island and Sepang »
So it’s better to focus on the eight-time World Champion…” We know him and he pushed to the end, we greatly appreciate his effort. He fought with Zarco and Bagnaia until the last round », confides the Catalan in comments collected by Diario AS. The grueling series of three races in as many weeks has passed and it is now time to face the last three events on the calendar: “ these ten days will be very beneficial to recharge your batteries before Phillip Island and Sepang,” admits Puig. “He did two full races in seven days after four months without running, so that’s very important to go home, to rest and prepare for the next two Grands Prix », adds the Team Manager Honda about the Catalan's situation.
The next stop is Philip Island, Australia. “ It will be a very difficult race, with a very fast track, with many high-speed corners. A key factor will be weather conditions and apparently it will be cold, so you can't make a mistake. And the following week we go to Malaysia, where we will have the opposite conditions, hot and very humid ". Then it will be the deliverance in Valencia…
