MotoGP Qatar 1 D3: Nakagami and Alex Marquez on the ground, it's desolation at LCR

The start of the 2021 campaign for Alex Marquez and Nakagami, the two LCR-Honda drivers, was unfortunately not more glorious than the progress of the off-season tests on the same Losail track which this time received the Qatar Grand Prix. There is still one performance left, next weekend, for Lucio Cecchinello's troops to avoid leaving Doha with the feeling of being cursed there. In the meantime, the fall was still at the end of the road, which could begin to weigh...

The team Honda LCR de Lucio Cecchinello experienced bitter disappointment at the opening of the MotoGP in Doha. Neither Takaaki Nakagami nor the newcomer Alex Marquez were in fact unable to bring home any points for their first appearance of the year on the Losail international circuit. Worse: the two drivers were the only two retirements, with Danilo Petrucci, who fell in turn 2… After a collision with Alex Marquez.

Alex Marquez, after his friction at the start with the pilot Tech3 KTM slipped 18^e before getting back into the points with 14th place. But shortly after halfway, his hopes of doing better were dashed in the gravel trap of turn 4: “ I'm really sorry for the team » commented the one who had a right foot recovering from a micro-fracture. “ Race pace was good “, explains the youngest of the Márquez brothers. “ The start was good, I really wanted to be aggressive too. I then had contact with Petrucci in the second corner ».

« Then I was in a good rhythm. In the group, however, it was difficult to control the front tire “, confides the 2 Moto2019 World Champion. “ In the group I was actually slower, I wasn't at the limit. I couldn't take my own line either. This is exactly where you sometimes make mistakes. We have another chance next week ". He finishes : " we especially need to improve in qualifications ».

Nakagami does not understand his fall

His teammate Takaaki Nakagami did not experience a better fate, although he brilliantly came out at the top of the Q1 before placing himself on the starting grid as best driver Honda, before Pol Espargaro in official colors. “ Not what I expected and unfortunately not the best performance » regrets the Japanese. “ I had problems and lost places. The group wasn't the best, but I had a hard time keeping up or even fighting with the guys ". "

He ends with his fall: “ I don't know what happened at turn 9. I also didn't see anything special on the technical sheets during the check in the box. It's a shame for us. We took a step on Saturday and unfortunately found ourselves in the gravel. I am very disappointed. But I'm fine ».