“Despite a challenging start to the COTA weekend, Marc Marquez clinches third place by the conclusion of Friday’s practice sessions.”
Marc Marquez faced a challenging start to his Ducati debut at COTA, one of his most successful MotoGP circuits, on Friday morning.
However, the Gresini team’s successful modifications and Marquez’s growing understanding of the Desmosedici’s riding style – at a track where he had previously triumphed seven times with Honda – propelled the #93 rider to third place on the timesheets.
“I’m pleased, especially because we responded in a positive manner,” Marquez stated, closing the day just behind Jorge Martin of Pramac Ducati and Maverick Vinales of Aprilia.
“We began FP1 feeling a bit uneasy. Yet, we remained composed, worked diligently with the team, and I provided them with the necessary feedback. They grasped what I required, and we collaborated effectively. By this afternoon, my riding had improved.
“You have to grasp how to maximize a bike’s potential. Indeed, the Ducati’s riding style presents a stark contrast to the Honda here, but I started to grasp it [what I needed to do] this afternoon.
“Still, there are 3-4 riders – as always! – who are a tad quicker than us, so let’s aim to improve tomorrow.”
Marquez emphasized the significance of Saturday morning’s qualifying session, aiming to better his sixth place in Qatar and eighth place in Portimao on the grid this season.
“The time attack here is extremely challenging with numerous hard braking points, making it easy to make a mistake,” he remarked. “I wasn’t doing too badly, but in terms of pace, there are five of us very closely matched, so qualifying will be crucial.”
Fabio di Giannantonio of VR46 was the second-best GP23 rider in ninth place, while Marc’s teammate and brother Alex finished in 13th, necessitating his participation in Qualifying 1.
Stay tuned with We4GP for more news.
