Marc Márquez and Pol Espargaró met this Thursday in the place where the magic of the Repsol team arises: their laboratory in Madrid. After an interactive talk, the HRC incumbent driver confirmed that while he is not in a favorable position to start as the favorite this year, he does see himself as a contender in the title hunt.
“Where I come from, I can’t start as a favourite. It’s not realistic. But I do see myself as a candidate, because nowadays it’s hard to choose one of the favorites in MotoGP, since each season is different”, commented Marc.
Márquez concluded a positive test day in Malaysia and Indonesia . However, the 100% of the driver from Cervera will be far from the 100% of his rivals, who will start with the advantage of being physically stronger.
“I come from two very difficult seasons. I have had to live the best of a sport and the worst. When it seems that you leave, you enter another injury,” he related.
“Right now I’m in a good moment, and if you ask me ‘how are you’ I can say that I’m fine. I don’t know if I’m 100%, but I do know that you don’t have to be 100% to fight for the World Cup,” he assured to Motorsport.com
“I have done very well in the tests and I arrive in Qatar ready to start. It is a feeling that I did not have two years ago, so I want to start on the right foot and calmly. I know that I am going to improve race after race. I have to Be patient,” he added.
The eighth champion celebrates his tenth season in the championship, years in which he has witnessed the entry and exit of different generations of pilots for whom he is postulated as a great reference.
“It is true that all the drivers are rivals and once on the track the name and color do not matter, but it is different to have fought as a rookie against the experiments, and then to be the one with the experience and for rookies to come and try to learn”.
In addition, he considers that there is much to learn from newcomers to the category.
“The rookies are very fast and they all drive differently. It has been seen that very young drivers can win you a world championship the first year they get into the category”.
Marc confirms that he is moving to Madrid with the aim of keeping his arm “fresh”, since doctors, his physio and trusted trainer are here.
“I have made a change in my personal life. I am moving to Madrid with the aim of keeping my arm fresh, since the doctors, my trusted physio and trainer are here. So after all these years I wanted a change of scenery When I stop having motivation, it will be time to hang up the monkey.”
“It’s hard to see double and have the uncertainty of whether I could race again, because it’s not your imagination, but a doctor gave it to you. But when you get on a motorcycle you forget that past and you only think about the goal you have ahead and the one you want to get”.
For Marc, having a safe personal and family environment has been the key in the process of physical and mental recovery.
“In my case I have never resorted to a sports psychologist. For me mental health is the environment. If the environment is good and not toxic, for me that is mental health. In difficult times I look for mine. That’s where I really I get better and you manage to escape”.
Finally, the Honda RC213V will start in Qatar with a new and charismatic design, very different from previous years.
“I think it is a bike that, as it is right now, is ready to fight for the World Championship. It is very different from what I was used to. It is a new concept and I have had to take it to my field. During the season we will be testing chassis and swingarms, to see what problems there are, but we’re already going with a bike ready for anything”, concluded the rider from Cervera.
