Alex Márquez: "You have to be realistic, Honda did a double but there were crashes"

October 28, 2021

Alex Márquez’s best races in his debut last season in MotoGP came after the turning point of the 2020 Misano test, subsequently managing to finish the Le Mans and Aragón races in second position.

The Honda rider had high hopes for the second race that took place last weekend at the Italian track, after having raced here a month ago and the subsequent test.

However, Alex’s race ended early due to a technical problem on his LCR team RC213V , which left him stranded with 18 laps to go.

“The weekend in general went well, but it makes me angry with the way it ended. We had done a test and a race on that circuit and we had a lot of information, and that in the end all that work could not have the reward of a good result, and even more seeing how the race unfolded, makes me very angry. Especially seeing where we were, the people next to us and where they ended up”, in reference to Enea Bastianini, Fabio Quartararo, Johann Zarco and Alex Rins, who were in the same group when the technical problem occurred and ended up in positions of the third to sixth.

“But that’s the way racing is, because of a problem we had to go out with the second bike and the… well, there was a problem,” he lamented without wanting to reveal what it was about.

“These are things that happen, we now have two races to get rid of the thorn. I had set myself the goal of being constant in these last three. I think the level during the weekend was good and we will have to try again in Portimao , where I did well last time (8th), to end the year on a positive note”.

Leaving aside Alex’s result in Misano last Sunday, for his factory, Honda , the race could not have been more fruitful, with a totally unexpected 1-2 double.

As Alex’s brother, Marc Márquez, said, a result that will give HRC peace of mind to work towards next year, in which he will continue, if nothing is unusual, in the LCR team but with a contract and factory material.

“For sure the one-two gives Honda peace of mind, but there were also crashes, both Ducatis crashed and I think both Pecco (Bagnaia) and (Jack) Miller had something else on Sunday. It is true that (those incidents) are part of racing, but you have to be realistic with the final position”, valued the youngest of the Márquez when asked by Motorsport.com about the success of the factory team in Misano.

“Marc had a very, very good race, with a very fast pace, especially at the end, more than at the beginning. And that is a good sign that at the end of the races we can be competitive and go fast, that we take care of the tyres. That is something that also motivates me, to see that the bike works, especially facing Portimao , a circuit to which our bike adapts well”, he assessed.

On the technical problem that led to the withdrawal, Alex did not want to give more details.

“Before I retired, I crossed the finish line and I already had some problem. When I reached the first corner, a message appeared on the dashboard of the motorcycle that I had to stop the engine immediately, I stopped it and that’s it. We know the problem that there is but it cannot be said either, ”he maintained the secrecy.

Márquez clarified, finally, that the problem came only, not due to a possible contact with his teammate Takaaki Nakagami, who just overtook him at that moment.

“ Nakagami fell just trying to pass me, he went wide and fell. It was a completely different topic. I feel bad for the team, for how the two riders finished the race, on the same lap going together, I think we could have both achieved a good result, and that also makes me angry. But that’s the way racing is”, the boy from Cervera resigned.

Alex Marquez, LCR Honda Team