Marc Marquez spoke about his return to Aragon and his objectives for this meeting which is as much expected as it is feared. A mixture of feelings which reveals a general idea that all this is perhaps a little premature. His chief mechanic Santi Hernandez also said what he thought about it and we found the same balance between fascination and fear…
Marc Marquez was expected in this press conference before the Aragon Grand Prix and first of all because it had been a while since we had seen him at such a party. But here he is again as a competitor in MotoGP, 110 days after a delicate operation on a right arm which will no longer support any intervention. On this reunion, he commented: “ I am very happy to find a Grand Prix, I didn't think I would be able to race this year in Aragon, but things are going well since the intervention » rejoices the official Honda who adds: “ I want to achieve my goal, which is to work a lot on the bike. The physical condition at the end of the Misano tests was very positive, the arm recovered well, so there was the possibility of being present the Aragon weekend ».
He then continues with what he expects from this fifteenth round of the calendar: “ the chances of a podium are very low, we are far from being in the best possible conditions. I could even stop mid-weekend, but my goal is to always go all the way to give the best possible guidance for Honda. For me it is important to understand what level I can reach given the condition of my arm ».
To find out a little more about the atmosphere that reigns in the Repsol Honda box with this return of the king, you have to listen to its chief mechanic Santi Hernandez : " the two-day test last week in Misano was important for Marc so that he could understand the situation he was in after the long break “, explained the Spaniard. “ The test went very well. Because he was able to do a few laps on the first day, he rode more on the second day. Marc felt good. But we don't imagine that we will see old Marc here. For him, this Grand Prix is training. He takes the opportunity here to check his form in racing conditions. A test is much more comfortable. You do a few laps then you stop again, rest, relax, you can go out at any time from 9 a.m. to 18 p.m. During a Grand Prix, you have four free practice sessions where you have to choose the tires and set up the bike. You must try to qualify for Q2. There is a lot to do ".
“We are trying to calm Marc Marquez down, he is intelligent, he knows where he comes from and what he has been through, he has nothing to prove here”
Santi continues: “ but we should not show a different mentality here than during the test. If Marc feels good and can do something useful, that's welcome, but that doesn't take precedence. I don't think about what Marc can achieve here in this Grand Prix. Of course he can ride, otherwise he wouldn't be here. During the Misano test, Marc wanted to know if he was ready for Aragón. Now we will see what he is capable of this weekend. Marc is confident he can finish the race, otherwise he wouldn't be competing here. I was surprised how well Marc did in Misano. It never ceases to surprise me every day. Because after four upper arm operations, he still lacks strength.
He recalls : " It’s amazing what he’s been through over the past two years and how determined he is now to accomplish his task. Marc was only at the Misano GP as a spectator, but he wanted to know exactly how Stefan Bradl's bike was set up and what was changed. He was competitive in the tests and now he comes here to do his best”.
Then Santi Hernandez concludes with this sort of road map for Marc Marquez : " I must first say that Marc is confident in the race. But first we have to wait for the trials. I have no doubt that he will compete in the race. But maybe after the distance traveled he will be quite tired. We try to calm him down. His approach here will be different from that of the past. Marc is intelligent, he knows where he comes from and what he has experienced. Therefore, he will not be carried away by crazy actions. Marc knows what he has to do. He has nothing to prove here. He is moving forward and will make an effort to regain good driving sensations. I don't care about the results here. Results are not the priority. If they are good, we are happy. But if they don't meet expectations, we won't mind. It is important that Marc prepares for the upcoming season and that we at Honda put this difficult phase behind us »
