Marquez 'doesn’t understand' Portimao MotoGP practice speed
Marc Marquez admits he 'doesn't understand' why he was so strong on his return to MotoGP action in Portuguese Grand Prix practice, 265 days after he last rode his Honda.


Marquez made his long-awaited comeback on Friday at the Algarve International Circuit, having sat out the 2020 season after breaking his right arm badly in the season-opening Spanish GP at Jerez.
Third-fastest on a drying track in FP1, Marquez bagged himself a provisional Q2 place after ending FP2 sixth quickest with a lap just 0.473s off pacesetter Francesco Bagnaia's Ducati.
Marquez explained that his arm felt "tired" in FP2, but while his physical condition remains a question mark going forward, he says he went "better than expected".
"It was a great day, a great feeling and honestly speaking I go out on the first run – the track was not so good, but immediately I felt good on the bike," he said. "In the morning, in terms of feeling I felt better than in the afternoon because I was fresh. The arm was fresh and I had power.
"Then already in the afternoon I struggled a little bit more to warm up the arm and I start to feel the arm was a little bit more tired. Apart from that, we are in a much better situation than what we expected before the weekend.
"I don't know how, because I don't understand what's going on. I'm just riding the bike, trying to follow my way.
Read Also:
"The laptimes are coming; it's not the most important thing, but they are coming in a good way. But it's true the main question mark for me – the speed is there – so it's about how the arm will react during the weekend when I get up tomorrow."
Marquez's final lap in FP2 on soft tyres was spectacular, the Honda rider saving a big moment on the way into Turn 8.
When asked by Motorsport.com to explain that moment, Marquez said: "The last lap was a little bit crazy, I didn't like the last lap, but I had a nice save.
"But it's my riding style, I don't know. It's true with the new tyre I'm struggling a little bit more than with the used tyre. [On the used tyre] the bike becomes softer, the laptimes are slower and I feel much more comfortable.
"But with new tyres everything is more stiff, and specifically in that corner – I think it was Turns 6 and 7, that change of direction – my head said it was time to go in on Turn 7, but the body didn't follow what I wanted.
"I just slid a little bit, was a save but I created the slide to finish the turn because was the last lap and I didn't give up the lap. Things [like] that of course with more laps on the track I will improve."
Marquez added that he still doesn't have a target in mind for the race on Sunday, as it will all depend on how his arm reacts over the rest of the weekend.
Related video

Martin hit by "dangerous" stability issue in MotoGP practice
Quartararo's Portugal MotoGP form helped by "less complaining"

Latest news
Why Ducati holds all the power in its MotoGP rider dilemma
OPINION: The French Grand Prix looks to have made Ducati’s decision on its factory team line-up simpler, as Enea Bastianini stormed to his third win of the campaign and Jorge Martin crashed out for a fifth time in 2022. But, as Ducati suggests to Motorsport.com, it remains in the strongest position in a wild rider market
The seismic aftershock of Suzuki's decision to leave MotoGP
Suzuki's sudden decision to leave the MotoGP World Championship at the end of the season has acted as a stirring element in a market that had already erupted. We analyse what this means for the grid going into 2023
How the real Ducati began to emerge in MotoGP's Spanish GP
Ducati’s 2022 MotoGP bike has had a tough start to life and the expected early-season title charge from Francesco Bagnaia did not materialise. But the Spanish Grand Prix signalled a turning point for both the GP22 and Bagnaia, as the 2021 runner-up belatedly got his season underway after a straight fight with Fabio Quartararo
How praise for Honda's MotoGP bike has given way to doubt
In a little over two months, Honda has gone from setting the pace in MotoGP testing with its new RC213V prototype to being at a crossroads - caused by the discrepancy in its riders' feedback. After a Portuguese GP that underwhelmed, serious questions are now being asked of Honda in 2022
Why Quartararo's win was vital not only for his title hopes
Fabio Quartararo got his MotoGP title defence off the ground in the Portuguese Grand Prix as a dominant first win of 2022 rocketed him to the top of the standings. While a significant result in terms of his title hopes, it has come at an even more important time in terms of his 2023 contract negotiations
The MotoGP rookie fighting two fronts in his debut year
Darryn Binder has found himself in the unenviable position as MotoGP's most under-pressure rookie in 2022 having made the step directly from Moto3 with a reputation as an over-aggressive rider. This hasn't been an easy thing to shake at the start of the season, but he believes tangible progress is being made
How ‘Beast’ mode is putting Ducati in 2022 MotoGP title contention
Enea Bastianini’s second win of the 2022 campaign at COTA puts him back in the lead of the standings and once again showed the best Ducati package is still the 2021 bike. Those closest to Bastianini tell Motorsport.com why he’s so good on the GP21 relative to his factory counterparts.
How Espargaro helped Aprilia shed MotoGP's underdog tag
Aleix Espargaro became MotoGP's newest winner in a thrilling Argentina Grand Prix in which he also proved the merits of the Aprilia project. After six years of hard graft, both parties have reaped the rewards they have long thought they deserved. But it was several key moments in that journey that led both to that momentous Sunday at Termas de Rio Hondo.