BarcelonaMarc Márquez had a stuck thorn. After abandoning in the first round of the Grand Prix of his return due to a double accident, the Catalan did not want his reappearance to be like this. He is too great a legend to settle for a worldly return. 1,071 days later, in full recovery and with a much less competitive bike than usual, Marc Márquez set the best time on the Motegi circuit, putting an end to one of the worst moments of his life. In this Sunday’s race (8 a.m., DAZN) the thunder of Cervera will once again enjoy himself on the bike, seeing first how the traffic lights go out.
He seems from another planet, with a giant talent, with a power and strength of overcoming only reserved for the appointed. Marc Márquez has had to live the last few very painful years, 1,071 days in a journey through the desert: without poles, without victories, with four operations and many hours of recovery. The journey has been very difficult, but Márquez is not one of the best drivers in history to give up in the face of adversity. After the battles fought, this Saturday he got his prize: in stratospheric weather under the rain, the Honda pilot won the pole and will start first on the starting grid.
“They’ve gotten too long,” confessed Márquez once he got off his Honda. “I feel much better and I can drive as I want. With water I can do it perfectly. I took a risk and I want to thank everyone who helped me come back,” he said with a smile from ear to ear. The desire is never lost, let alone an eight-time world champion.
While Marc has enjoyed one qualy which can be a turning point for him and for the Japanese brand, the three pilots competing in the World Cup have not had their day. Fabio Quartararo, the overall leader, will start ninth while Pecco Bagnaia will start the race from twelfth position. Aleix Espargaró will start from the fifth place on the grid.
The rain, an extra rival
The pilots had to fight against a new opponent. The rain, which flooded the Motegi circuit and caused the qualifying sessions to stop for more than an hour and a half, has come back and affected a qualifying session on Saturday. The times have been slower, the drivers have taken fewer risks and the asphalt conditions have caused a few scares. “With these conditions, it’s a lottery,” said Marc Márquez before the qualy. And luck has been all for him.
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