Márquez: "I didn't know how to take advantage of the opportunity that the rain gave me"

The Honda rider reappeared in Portugal after nine months off due to injury, and neither in the Portimao race, nor in the Jerez race, a fortnight ago, was he able to approach his usual level due to the physical conditions of being in the process of recovering from the fracture in the right arm.

However, this Sunday at Le Mans , it was possible to see, in some moments of the chaotic flag- to-flag race, which started in the dry, the rain appeared and ended in mixed conditions, the usual Marc Márquez , the rogue driver in the change motorcycle, the fast rider leading the race and the champion in him getting up from a first fall and returning to the race to come back like crazy and ride faster than the leaders, despite being behind.

“The sensations are bad because I feel that I have not taken advantage of the opportunity that the rain has given me, but it is part of the return to competition. In Jerez and Portimao it was easy to accept it because I saw that I couldn’t physically, but here with the rain I was able to get a little more. It had been a long time since I led a race”, recalled the Honda rider.

Despite these good feelings, Marc was disappointed.

“I am more angry with the second fall. The first are things that can happen, delicate conditions. But the second one was completely unnecessary, I was thinking more about the position on the bike than about the race and that’s dangerous, it wasn’t necessary”.

Despite that self-critical tone, Márquez also saw positive things.

“I’m happy because this weekend has seen some brushstrokes of good things, especially in the race when four drops fell, the ability to change bikes, face flag to flag and lead the race. It has not been a problem and that leaves me a little calmer, “he said in a recovery key.

“In the water, physical fitness wasn’t a problem and I was able to ride more or less as I wanted, I was fast and skillful, the one I had retained and that’s good. But in the dry I have noticed the limitations. Steps are being taken and perhaps a step forward in recovery is what we have experienced today. I felt comfortable and strong, but I didn’t know how to take advantage of it and I have to be self-critical: with the conditions that existed, a great result could have been achieved”, stressed the Spanish rider.

With this first zero since his reappearance, Márquez remains 64 points behind the lead and with very compromised options to get hooked on the fight for the title.

“This year I already said that we are not thinking about the title, regardless of what happens in this race, it does not affect my goals, I hope I miss these points at the end of the year, it would be the sign that we are doing well. I still have a long way to go to be one hundred percent, especially in the dry. I stay more with the fact that I have known how to look for my life, ”he said.

The moment to change the bike when it started to rain was the best for Marc, who gained position by being the fastest to do it, beating Fabio Quartararo in the change.

“I entered parallel with him because I saw that he didn’t accelerate at the pit lane entrance and it was half a second free. I was able to overtake him when changing bikes, like in F1”, he said.

“I have been without activity for almost a year. In 2020 I only did one race and I didn’t finish it. It’s a long time without competition. I miss this lack of racing, being with other drivers on the track, the fight, overtaking. Today was a great opportunity, I got carried away by the good feelings. We have been patient and everything is part of the recovery, but I would have liked to use today’s situation because it was a great opportunity to achieve a great result. Although in these conditions, achieving a good result would have covered up reality”, settled the one from Cervera .

The photos of Marc Márquez at the 2021 MotoGP French Grand Prix

Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team