Two weeks after making a tremendous comeback and obtaining sixth place in Austin, Marc Márquez will try to continue his progress this weekend in Portugal. The Spanish driver spoke during the press conference before the GP, and we transcribe his entire statements here.
Marc, you gave us a fantastic comeback during the last round in Austin. You have indeed carved out the road in the peloton to move up from last to sixth place. It seems that you have regained all your confidence now...
« The weekend in Austin was of course satisfying, because we wanted to regain some confidence and that's what we did. We approached the weekend in a good way and we delivered a solid performance, and that was the most important thing. It's true that I always want more, and despite this comeback and this sixth place, we wanted to achieve more. But the fact is that we encountered a technical problem on the grid at the start, and that is something that can happen with the new bike. The main thing is that the problem has been identified and resolved. Now we have to look forward to this weekend and try to continue our progress. »
Last year at this time you returned to competition after nine months of absence. What shape are you in now?
« It was of course an incredible feeling to return to Portimão last year after such a long recovery. The past year hasn't been easy either, with lots of ups and downs, as well as numerous injuries. But we are here again in Portugal to do battle, and it is true that within our garage I do not have many references because I have only driven here once and my performance then was mixed. . But in the last race held here and in which I was absent again [due to diplopia], Álex Márquez and Pol Espargaró were very fast. So we need to understand here if we can continue on the same path that we took in Austin. We must confirm here what we did there. For the rest, I'm approaching this weekend without any particular expectations. I'll just try to understand the situation, feel the bike well, and after the warm up I think we will have a better idea of where we are. »
Can you tell us precisely what was the nature of your technical problem on the starting grid in Austin?
« I'm sorry but I can't say what exactly happened on the grid. In ten years with HRC I had never had the slightest problem during a day of racing, and it is of course when I am most vulnerable that this happens. But afterwards I told the guys that this could sometimes happen, once in ten years... I can't complain, it's often me who falls like in Indonesia where I fell four times, and yet my mechanics never made the slightest comment to me. On the contrary, they all wore a cheerful expression. We are a team, and we work in the same direction in good times and bad times. »
The Portimão track has many elevation changes as well as blind turns. At first glance it appears to be a fast and daredevil track. So it seems that this route is made for you. How excited are you to hit the track this weekend here?
« I really like this route, with its elevation changes, its varied turns that are sometimes a little strange. It's a circuit where you need to have fluid driving to fully understand the different sequences. I remember that last year I spoke with Miguel Oliveira, who was at the time the last winner here, who confirmed to me that we had to let ourselves be carried away on this track. The thing is, I think that's true, and I think everything is easier if you find that fluidity. The problem here comes when you start fighting with the bike. So we'll see what that gives. Normally we will be entitled to a fairly stable weekend as far as the weather is concerned, but for me the most important thing is to understand this new bike and this new package on the European circuits, which as everyone knows are tighter and often require more precise control. »
Just before the round in Austin you explained that you wanted to approach things more calmly from now on, but in the end you were particularly aggressive in the race. Did you ever think victory was possible in Texas?
« I will have the same approach in Portimão, namely to take things calmly. But I have to say that if I go on track and my feelings are good, then my DNA forces me to attack, that's how it is. That's what I did in Austin, and that's what I'll do again here if my feelings are good. It's true that in Austin I controlled myself a lot so as not to suffer in terms of my physical condition, and that helped me a lot for the race on Sunday. Here it will be the same, and the weather conditions could also help me with possibly the rain which could appear and reduce the physical effort necessary to drive well. Afterwards, my best result this season is fifth place, and I can't suddenly say to myself that I'm going to go from fifth to first place. There are steps to take before that, including the podium for example, or another top 5. But the fact is that with the current situation in MotoGP, it is not possible to approach a weekend with a clear goal in mind. »
