The Repsol Honda team rider will start tomorrow’s Styrian Grand Prix race from eighth position. Pol Espargaró will do so from fifteenth place.
Conditions were dry at Spielberg and Marc Márquez managed to claim a spot in Q2 thanks to his FP3 showing. He ran a good pace throughout the morning, and in the afternoon run clocked a 1:23.489 to capture 8th place -a third row start.
Pol Espargaró had to go through Q1, and problems with his rear tyre relegated him to fifth position, ending his chances of entering Q2. With a time of 1:23.971, the Repsol Honda Team rider will take off from 15th, on the fifth row of the grid.
The MotoGP Styrian Grand Prix will be held at 2:00pm (CEST) and the weather forecast indicates that conditions will be wet.
MARC MÁRQUEZ – 8th 1’23.489
“Today I am happy about the day overall because we made a step or two and our rhythm is looking good. I am also feeling better on the bike, which is a positive. We were more realistic with our expectations for today. In Q2 itself, the performance of the bike could have achieved more. Not pole position, even with a fast first sector, but we could have been higher. Fortunately it was just a very small fall and I am all OK. I feel better with the used tyres than I do on the new tyres. Starting in eighth will be tricky, especially passing the Ducati’s here but it will be a long race and also the weather could play a part.”
POL ESPARGARÓ – 15th 1’23.971
“It was not the day that we had planned or hoped for today as we were struggling a lot. Our overall pace is not too bad, but we still can’t drop our lap times as much as the other riders with the new tyres. I hope it rains tomorrow because then we can show what we can do, no matter what I will give my everything tomorrow for the race. Our struggles are the same as before, we are lacking traction and it’s hard after the summer break. But we put our heads down and keep working, this is all we can do.”
