Marquez has “no clear target” for Jerez MotoGP round
Honda MotoGP rider Marc Marquez admits he has “no clear target” for this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez as he continues his return to action following an injury layoff.
The six-time MotoGP world champion broke his right arm at Jerez last season, which ultimately forced him out of the entire 2020 campaign and meant he would not race again until the Portuguese GP two weeks ago.
Marquez qualified sixth and finished as top Honda in seventh despite his 265-day absence from MotoGP, with many of his rivals expecting him to be stronger come this weekend’s Jerez round.
However, Marquez says the main goal is to get through the weekend in a better physical state and insists he still needs more time on the bike before thinking about results.
“Yeah, of course Portimao was a special weekend in all sides,” he said. “But here I feel like everything is more quiet and this is important.
“It feels like a normal weekend. I don’t feel like my physical condition is very different, it’s very similar.
“I hope to ride in a better way from FP1, my target is try to be more stable with my physical condition all weekend in a circuit that I know, at a circuit I have good and bad memories.
“But better memories than worse and this will be important. [I have] no clear target, just ride the bike, have more kilometres, try to feel better on the position of the bike.
“We know better where our limit is now, it’s not the bike, it’s not the tyres – it’s me.
“We know where is the limit, we know where we need to improve but we need time and days and kilometres on the bike.”
Marquez has been ordered to avoid any strenuous training by his doctors between races, but the Spaniard says the biggest issue in terms of his fitness is the continued antibiotic treatment he is undergoing after an infection was found in his arm in December.
“Of course, from Portimao to here just I trained a little bit in the gym, just some cycling,” he added.
“But always taking it easy because already my body was asking for some relaxation after Portimao because one thing is the bone, the arm, the muscles.
“The other thing is I’m taking a lot of antibiotics still and it takes time to recover.
“It’s true it’s hard to feel like this at 28 years old, but I know soon we will move [away] from the antibiotics and everything will come easier. I stayed at home, relaxed.”
Related video
Previous article
Espargaro: I don’t need Marquez to show how fast I am
Next article
MotoGP riders open up on social media struggles
About this article
| Series | MotoGP |
| Event | Spanish GP |
| Drivers | Marc Marquez |
| Teams | Repsol Honda Team |
| Author | Lewis Duncan |
MotoGP: Miller has 'score to settle' with Le Mans
MotoGP: Marquez 'careful' with Honda bike feedback
The impossible problem Honda faces with its 2021 MotoGP bike
Honda hasn’t enjoyed an easy start to the 2021 MotoGP campaign, despite gains last season which looked to have carried over into the pre-season. Now admitting it does have issues in serious need of resolving, it faces an almost impossible task in doing so.
How Jerez underlined MotoGP's speed problem
The brutal nature of a series of crashes at Jerez has reopened the debate about whether current MotoGP speeds are beyond the safety limits of the tracks. But even if riders are supportive of the move, getting the manufacturers to find a consensus on how speed reductions should be achieved may be altogether harder
How a Crutchlow helped Miller to Jerez MotoGP redemption
Jack Miller’s tough start to life as a factory Ducati MotoGP rider left him mentally battered and bruised, but a pep talk and positive reinforcement from a surprising source aided the Australian to show his full potential with victory at the Spanish Grand Prix
What does Marc Marquez have to do to get back to his best?
Following his resounding MotoGP return with a seventh place finish in Portugal, Marc Marquez now must work to rediscover his best form before turning his attention towards results-based targets
How Yamaha's rookie-spec MotoGP star is taking charge
Fabio Quartararo is on a roll in 2021 after storming to victory at a venue five months earlier served up one of his worst races. Contrasting Portuguese GPs for Yamaha's factory duo make it hard to understand just how good its 2021 MotoGP bike is, but the Portimao weekend did at least expose one key improvement compared to 2020
The hurdles Marquez faces next in his Portugal MotoGP return
Even by Marc Marquez’s own high standards, his MotoGP comeback on Friday at the Portuguese Grand Prix will be considered a success even if he didn’t top the times. But having shown competitive pace on his first day back, both Marquez and his rivals know plenty more challenges are to come...
Where does Espargaro sit ahead of Marquez's return?
Pol Espargaro’s first results as a Honda MotoGP rider may not appear special. But dig a little deeper and a clearer picture of his performance emerges. And, as Lewis Duncan writes, it’s cause for celebration at Honda with the return of Marc Marquez set to provide Espargaro with the reference he has been missing so far this year
The "pit bull" MotoGP rookie already drawing legendary comparisons
MotoGP’s 2021 rookie crop is one of the strongest in recent years, but one is already standing out. Jorge Martin’s Doha GP heroics have courted many to compare him to numerous MotoGP legends. Autosport spoke to Pramac boss Francesco Guidotti to find out why MotoGP’s latest Spanish star is already making such an impact
