At the age of 30 and after four major operations on his right arm, Marc Marquez arrives at Mugello this weekend with the intention of picking up where he left off less than a month ago at Le Mans, where he crashed with three laps to go when he was fighting for the podium.
Despite the negative result, hardly anyone would have imagined that Marquez would be able to perform at this level, after missing the previous three Grands Prix (Argentina, Austin and Jerez), due to the accident he suffered on Sunday in the first stage of the calendar in Portugal, in which he fractured the base of the thumb on his right hand.
A few moments after taking to the track in France, the rider from Cervera admitted that he was more than satisfied with the level offered, especially seeing that he continued to maintain the same speed as always. With almost a month to prepare physically, rider number 93 hopes to be able to give his best on a track which however highlights the weak points of his RC213V.
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“I had a lot of fun at Le Mans. The pace was better than I expected. At the end of the race, my body was more the limit than the bike. Here we’ll have a slightly worse situation,” admitted Marquez on Thursday and already from Mugello.
Precisely the limits of the prototype he drives and which gives him and the other pilots of the Japanese brand so many headaches, cyclically trigger rumors about a possible exit from the company. So far he has limited himself to emphasizing his loyalty to Honda, even if he insists that his age is starting to play a decisive role in considering his future in the medium term.
“I have a contract with Honda for next year, my commitment is total and it will always be my Plan A. But, at the same time, I will always look for a winning project, regardless of the colours. Years go by for all the riders. I underwent the fourth operation on my arm to reach my maximum physical level and now I’m ready to fight again for the title,” added the Lleida-born rider.
“When the time comes, my priority will be the bike, as it always has been. I still believe in Honda, even if we are in a complicated moment,” added Marquez, who has not yet finished a Sunday race this year and is 19 ° in the standings, 82 points behind the leader Pecco Bagnaia.
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Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team
Photo by: Marc Fleury
