On this Sunday, June 20, 2021, Marc Marquez answered questions from journalists from the Sachsenring circuit, at the end of the German Grand Prix.
We went to listen (via teleconferencing software) to the words of the Spanish driver, who managed to score an eleventh victory in a row on the German track, thus signing his first success since the 2019 Valencia Grand Prix.
As usual, we report here the words of Marc Marquez without the slightest formatting.
Marc, you remain the king here at the Sachsenring. I imagine that this victory arouses a lot of emotions for you, have you had time to realize what you have accomplished?
" I I think I still don't realize what's happening... It's true that we had a difficult time in my career, and it's still difficult in fact. I hope that this victory will help me continue on this path, because when I arrived here after three clean results linked to falls, it was really not easy mentally, nor on the physical level. physical plane moreover. »
" In my position, it was impossible to work alone: I needed people, doctors, physiotherapists, the manager, family, friends. I found this support among all these people who helped me greatly to come back. Now it's time to enjoy, and thank everyone and especially Honda, because I appreciate all the respect they have shown me over all these years. It is a victory which is certainly important for me, but also for the entire family of HRC. »
Tell us about your race from your perspective. From the start you managed to take the inside in turn 1, then you got the better of Aleix Espargaró before it rained and Miguel put pressure on you…
" I said it on Thursday: This circuit was going to be the first where I was going to feel less limitations in terms of physicality, due to the fact that there are many fewer turns on the right. In left turns I can't say that I'm in the best position in the world either, but at least I don't feel any limitation to be fast. »
" Today I got the perfect start, and my first lap was perfect too. And when I saw a few drops falling I said to myself that it was my day: I continued to attack and that's when I started to widen the gap. Afterwards, Miguel started to catch up with me and I told myself that it might end up being a little more difficult than expected. I believed in myself, even if it was difficult to attack and have confidence, because I had in mind this series of three falls in the race. So beyond the victory it was also important to simply finish the race. And that’s what we did, in the best possible way. »
It is often said that MotoGP riders are real extraterrestrials, but in the end you are still human. Was there a moment last year when you said to yourself that you would never find yourself in this position?
"When I was injured, I always had the conviction that I was going to be able to come back, but when I got back on a MotoGP for the first time in Portimão, I realized that I was starting very far compared to at my usual level, and it was very difficult to take. The races were even more difficult on this point. I then decided to ignore all that and concentrate solely on Me. »
" I have stopped paying attention to the comments, I focused with my team and with everyone who was able to help me. In this sense, my phone calls with Mick Doohan helped me enormously. I even met him at Mugello, and he experienced a very similar situation during the period 1992-93. But I remember a long call where I just listened to him, he spoke and I took in the information. He explained to me the situation he found himself in, but in the end it was exactly the same as mine. »
" It found himself facing exactly the same problems, he didn't understand the bike, he wasn't able to ride the way he wanted, he made stupid mistakes, in some races he was fast but not during free practice without knowing why. Everything he went through, I went through. So those conversations with Mick Doohan helped me a lot. »
« All what Mick Doohan went through, I went through too »
Your return is similar to what Ana Carrasco did last week. Did you think before the weekend that even a podium result was possible here in Germany?
“Ana made an even better comeback than mine knowing that she won in her first race! What is true is that this victory is important for the whole team. This gives us additional motivation for the future. This type of result is important after a major injury. If I'm honest, I think we're going to suffer again at Assen. As I said at the start of the weekend, I was going to have fewer physical limitations here at the Sachsenring. The course of the Grand Prix was completely different from usual: From the first free practice session I launched a big attack. »
" I think we will suffer again in Assen »
How different is this new victory at the Sachsenring from the previous ten?
« Ce success is different from others. I'm not happier than usual, but maybe I'll achieve more when I get back to the garage. It was very difficult on a mental level, because as I said I was coming out of three races punctuated each time by a fall, and I could very well have slowed down and settled for a podium but that was not the case. That's not my way of thinking. I followed my instinct. On Tuesday I received a call from Alberto Puig, telling me that I knew what result the team expected from me on this track. The conversation ended there, there was nothing more to say. From a rational point of view, I had a great start, there were these raindrops and, despite the pressure from Miguel at the end, I was able to fight back, and that's when I said it was my day. »
What about your arm pain?
" The pain is still there. I have to say that I suffered more here than in Jerez. For the other races I can't say anything because I didn't finish them... I never exceeded ten laps. I think I'm going to more suffer next week at Assen, because it is a track that is more demanding from a physical point of view. I still feel that my situation is not normal, but it takes time to get back to normal. »
You have done a remarkable job today, but everyone knows that you have a special relationship with the Sachsenring. What can you expect from the rest of the season following this victory?
" On Two things happen on this track: On the one hand I can ride with fewer physical limitations, and on the other hand the faults of our bike are less felt. We saw it throughout the weekend, all the Hondas were better than usual. It's true that in the race it was more complicated in the sense that the other bikes had to pay attention mainly to their rear tire, while we also had to pay attention to the tire. Before. »
" During in the first part of the race I was relatively slow only to spare the front tire, and not the rear tire at all. This is one of the things we need to improve for the future. At Assen we should be in trouble again to get to Q2, and we will probably be in the same situation as at Mugello or Montmeló. We need time, and the positive side is that the motivation is there. An important thing was the testing day in Montmeló. This is where I was able to ride at my own pace, without pressure, it was like pre-season testing for me. It only lasted a day, but I was able to cover a lot of laps, and it really helped me learn the right way to drive, the tires. »
« La test day in Montmeló was very important »
Do you think that the future summer break will help you get back on track even further, and do you think that you could have obtained the same result with warmer temperatures?
" I I think that the summer break will help, and I hope to progress further during this month and a half ahead, but I don't think that I will still be at the same level as in 2019. Little by little I of course expect to get closer to the drivers in the lead, but I don't expect to be in the lead enough to aim for victory. We will therefore see, we must not start off losing either, and continue to work. »
" Concerning the weather, I was competitive from the start of the weekend, and the temperature variations ultimately had little effect. It's true that there was a little degradation of the tires, but despite this I was still able to continue to attack and maintain a good understanding of the tires. »
Were you afraid you would never be able to win again?
"From Last September to November, I was really afraid for my arm, because I had less and less strength and very bad sensations, because there was an infection. It was a real step backwards. I wasn't even worried about winning again, but about my health. Other than that, as soon as I had surgery it started to get better. »
How did you manage to stay focused during the final laps? And regarding the summer break, do you think that you will be able to really rest, or will you have to continue your rehabilitation at a forced pace?
" It was of course it's difficult to stay focused during the race, and not give up. It must be said that on certain portions of the circuit I was really very tense on the bike because I absolutely did not want to fall, not to make any mistakes. Then I told myself that I had to forget all that and focus on my driving. The pressure that Oliveira put on me was like the pressure my brother puts on me in training: We put the fastest driver behind. So to support the pressure I tried to mentally transpose myself to this training and pretend it was my brother behind me. So I kept attacking and got nothing coward. »
" Concerning my rest, I think I'm going to need two weeks to rest and cut, because already two years ago I couldn't even rest during the winter due to my shoulder operation, as for Last winter I was very busy with my recovery with my physiotherapist. From a mental point of view it is important that I take two weeks off, even if it means being less ready for Austria. »
« It is important that I cut for two weeks, even if it means being less ready for Austria »
Among all the “special” days you have had in your career, where do you rank this one?
" Difficult to say, because all these days refer to very different times. The situation I'm going through is very difficult, but what I'm going through today makes me more proud of how far I've come so far. In most sports you generally have to live in the present and not think about the past. Today, it's Fabio who leads the championship and Miguel who was ultimately faster than me. This day is of course important, but it is not my goal. I want to drive better than that, that is to say like before, and I am not yet capable of that”
When you say that you don't yet feel able to fight regularly for victory, are you referring to your physical limitations or your understanding of motorcycling?
" It is a mixture of the two. I'm not able to help enough on the bike, and conversely the bike doesn't help me either. This makes things more difficult, but on this track the weak points of the bike are hidden, except in two very specific corners. Assen is the next meeting, and I still won't be 100% and the weak points of the bike will still be there. We must therefore continue to work. But in the meantime, this victory really gives me extra motivation. »
Were you more worried about your career in 2011 following your accident in Malaysia and your subsequent vision problems?
" The two events are different. Ten years ago I had vision problems, but it only lasted three months, and the doctors explained to me that they weren't sure if I would ever be able to fly again. a motorcycle. But after the operation everything was over. But as far as my arm is concerned, it's really long: You have to work constantly with the physiotherapist, who has been living with me for almost a year. Since Montmeló I told the doctors that I wanted to return to my normal life, that is to say resume training with my brother. This is something that has changed since then. Montmeló. »
MotoGP Sachsenring – Race results:
Credit rankings: MotoGP.com
