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Fresh from his victory in Aragon, his first on a Ducati and after a 'hunger' lasting more than 1,000 days, Marc Marquez approached the Misano circuit with a different spirit. On the one hand, the Spaniard, driven by a renewed confidence on the bike as only one can have after leaving behind a huge weight, opted for greater caution by trying not to 'overdo it' on the track. On the other hand, the confidence that although Martin and Bagnaia have something more, consistency above all, Marc Marquez can really be the third (or fourth) wheel in these last bars of the championship before the non-European races. So in this Friday's free practice the Spaniard did not deny expectations, and if in the morning he recorded the 2nd best time behind Martin, in the afternoon session he improved and finished 2nd just under two tenths from Bagnaia's GP24.
Experience counts, and the eight-time world champion knows this well when he compares himself to rookie Acosta, who shares with the Spaniard a roaring riding style and a dismal record of crashes, but without sparing for himself any criticism on the subject. But as he then sentences, "no one remembers the number of crashes in past years, we only remember who won," and Marc Marquez, it is clear, is only interested in getting back to winning, as in Aragon.
What effect did the win at Aragon have ahead of the second half of the season?
"Now the goal will be to maintain this consistency of results, it's what makes the difference between a champion and a good rider. So that's what I need to work on. Today the confidence on the track was very high, but I was very focused on not overdoing it, that will be the key."
You've always talked about the importance of Friday, and today you finished second in Q2. Do you think you can win here in Misano?
"Coming from a win leaves you with a special flavor, you arrive with a different confidence. That's why I tried not to overdo it. But winning here in Misano precisely because we are in Misano is not my battle."
In recent days you said the goal was to maintain the speed of Austria, today you proved it.
"More than speed it was important to maintain those same feelings. Especially because in Austria we had a different rear tire, which created a problem for us this year pushing on the front. Here in Misano is the first time we have a normal tire casing on a normal circuit grip. The sensations today were very good, although it is true that we are all very close here. I think tomorrow both Bagnaia and Martin will take another step forward, the goal will be to stay in the top four."
You will also have room for improvement.
"I have to better in that T3, especially in turn 11, the fast corner and the next two corners, but it won't be easy. I will try not to lose too much in that and two other points but I know I will lose something. It will have to take advantage of my riding style."
Today Acosta scored his 16th crash, it's a tie between the two of you for the crash trophy.
"On one side you have a rookie, on the other a more experienced rider. What happens to Acosta is normal, while the fact that it happens to me ... the number definitely should be lower, but basically it's part of my style and that number doesn't bother me. Nobody remembers who fell the most five years ago, they only remember who won. What matters is the result at the end of the year."
The fourth sector is one of your strengths.
"I deserve the left-hand turns, " admits the Spaniard, "I'm slow in T3, which are all right-hand turns, they've always been my strengths and weaknesses, I wish I could say the opposite but unfortunately that's not the case.
Is the front end also different here in Misano?
"No it is the same as always, there is the soft and the hard with the new technology, while the medium, the current H, is the one from last year, which is what works best and what all the riders prefer."
You seemed to be unable to disengage the lowerer on your return to the pits.
"It's not a malfunction, we try the start before Turn 11 and in that area we don't brake hard enough to disengage it."
Does going from a track like Aragon to one like Misano with so much grip also affect riding style?
"Yes, the first five laps were really strange, everything was stiffer here, both the bike and the tires, it's a tight circuit with good acceleration, while the reactions of the bike are much more aggressive. So the feeling is to have a lot more grip but all that has to be kept under control."
Do you think without the yellow flag you would have been able to get close to Pecco's fast lap, or even do better?
"With the first tire I did a 1'31''000, but with the second tire I couldn't replicate it and I also found traffic. Today Pecco was the fastest, so I am satisfied with my second time."
@Ph. ©PierLuca Brunetti
Automatic Translation by DeepL
