Seven-time Catalan world champion Marc Marquez must finally find his way to victory this Sunday on the iconic Bugatti circuit in Le Mans, in order to not see Italian championship leader Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia), who leads him by 44 points, pull even further ahead. “I have been in much worse situations before. But we need to fix several things if we want to compete for the world championship. We have shown that we have speed, but not consistency,” said the 33-year-old rider.
“The results show that the pace is there, but not the consistency. That’s what we need to understand because last year, that was exactly our strong point, regardless of the conditions or circuits. This year, everything is much more erratic,” he admitted. The Marquez brothers’ team only have a fourth and fifth place finish and two retirements in the first four Grand Prix races, with Marquez currently sitting in fifth place provisional standings thanks to his strong performances in sprint races (two wins and a second place).
Since his crash and severe shoulder injury in Indonesia last October, Marquez has struggled to regain the sensations and fluidity that characterized his riding up to then. “I feel it mostly in fast corners, and especially in left turns. That’s where I am much slower than last year. But it’s a combination of factors,” emphasized the Catalan rider, who does not make excuses. “I will never blame the bike for all the problems… A Ducati won in Jerez (his brother Alex Marquez, Editor’s note), so that means that this bike is capable of winning and fighting for the championship. It’s up to me to find solutions to progress,” he insisted.
Rain expected, advantage for Zarco?
The seven-time world champion could get a stroke of luck because rain is forecasted for this Sunday at Le Mans, conditions in which he excels. “When rain is expected, it means that we are not fast enough on dry land. So we hope for dry conditions instead. Rain is always a lottery. We will mainly try to improve our feeling on dry land during the weekend,” he concluded.
Thousands of enthusiastic French supporters who will invade the Bugatti circuit fervently hope that rain will disrupt the weekend, as they dream that the incredible scenario of last year will be repeated, when Zarco triumphed against all odds. The Honda-LCR rider, who had almost crashed at the start of the race and found himself last, had put an end, in the rain, to a 71-year drought for a Frenchman at the French GP in the premier class.
“I don’t particularly hope for rain, I don’t rely on it, but if it comes, then I stay zen by telling myself that there will be a better move to make. We will have to seize the opportunity if it arises, like last year,” declared Zarco. The other Frenchman on the grid, Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), struggling greatly this season, approaches “his” Grand Prix with much less optimism. “Unfortunately, we shouldn’t expect too much, because it’s a complicated year… I will give my best to do my best with the bike we have,” said the 2021 world champion, who secured pole position last year.
