MotoGP Portugal J3 [Video] Marc Marquez (Honda/7): tears of joy, pain and relief

In this Portuguese Grand Prix, there was another winner than Fabio Quartararo and it was Marc Marquez. The Honda official indeed won a lot this Sunday in Portimao. He overcame a period of his life which made him suffer and doubt, he also dominated the Marc Marquez of the world before, a global work that he constructed in an effort whose limits were largely crossed. Back among his family, in his box, he could not hold back his tears and received a standing ovation from a conquered team, stunned and overwhelmed by so many emotions.

It was a strong and intense moment that happened in the box Repsol Honda with an Marc Marquez that exhaustion has laid bare. The martial eight-time world champion let loose, showing himself unvarnished, conscious of having expiated in this intense pain perhaps the most complicated period experienced up to that point in his existence.

Marc Marquez, back after nine months off due to an arm injury, closed the Portuguese Grand Prix in seventh position. After an incredible start, the Spaniard initially fought for the first places, but as expected, the months away from the bike and the long stop prevented him from following the leaders. Despite this, however, he demonstrated incredible speed.

« I am a person who likes to keep emotions inside, but I didn't control myself in the box » he comments, his face marked as much by fatigue, suffering as emotion. “ It was a different weekend for my career. We had an incredible weekend and I couldn't control myself, I wasn't crying for the pain, but for the time away from the competition and for the Grand Prix. The result was not the most important. I still have a lot of work to do, I had a hard time, but I'm happy ».

Marc Marquez: “my muscle hurts and doesn’t work as it should” 

« I didn't drive like I do, the only time I did it was in qualifying and in the race. I don't have 100% movement yet and I'm still having trouble. My muscle hurts and doesn't work as it should. The recovery is not yet over and it will not stop at Jerez either” he said. Then he adds in all sincerity: « there was also a mental reboot. I have to work out in the gym and I have to ride a motorcycle. In these next few months, I can't do much at home. I will only go riding on race weekends. The bone is fine, but I don't want to risk it ».

« It was my dream to feel like a MotoGP rider again » he said again. And he talks about his reunion with the peloton: “ in the first laps, the opponents overtook me as they wanted. I didn't find my place in this phase. I didn't have the pace, I didn't have the bike under perfect control. This is why so many opponents have passed me. But I forced myself to calm down. I have not participated in extremely dangerous fights. But as soon as I found my place in this field, I started my race well"

« I increased my pace and managed to set my best lap at the end of the race. I then felt better and tried to capture Aleix Espargaró. But suddenly my body responded and said, “From the beginning to here is enough.” » For the last four or five laps I just sat on the bike and tried to do all 25 laps. Because the most important thing was to complete the race distance. The gap of only 13 seconds on Quartararo is incredible“. See you at, present on May 2 in Jerez, where his misfortune began, in July 2020.

MotoGP Portugal J3: classification

Credit classification motogp.com