The Japanese Grand Prix started with a day of work for the MotoGP riders, and Alex Marquez was no exception. On the Motegi circuit, the Spanish rider showed good performances, despite a test session full of ups and downs. He flirted with the places of Q2, finally reached, and even had a small altercation with Joan Mir on the track, without consequences.
After the first test sessions, Alex Marquez says he is rather satisfied, even if everything has not been easy: " I felt better sensations, because without it you can't make any progress. We made a big change in the middle of the session, because the start was difficult. This morning I felt good, and this afternoon too. I particularly liked the rear grip, so we've gone back a bit to my usual settings. In Mandalika we tried something different, but here, it didn't work »
This return to basics has clearly paid off, as he explains: “ after testing configurations based on last year's, we saw that it didn't work. So we went back to my basic settings, and that's when I started to brake the way I like and find a good rhythm. »
Alex Marquez: “ there was a touch, a little touch »
Even if Alex Marquez was able to climb into the top 10, he had to deal with some discomfort on the track. I had Joan Mir right in front of me, which slowed me down a bit., especially in the T3 and T4 sectors. When you have someone so close, you lose efficiency when braking. But despite this, I was able to improve, and that's already a good thing. »
He adds on this incident: “ There was a touch, a little touch. Because there was Marc's train and I took a ticket on 1A and he on 1B... And we met. There was room, but he didn't give it to me ».
As for his physical condition, Alex feels better than in Indonesia. I'm better, but I will be taking additional exams in Madrid next week., just to make sure everything is in order. So far, everything seems to be going well. »
The brother and teammate of Marc Marquez seems ready to face the rest of the weekend at Motegi with confidence and determination, hoping for a good performance in qualifying.
MotoGP, Japan D1, : chronos