The Repsol rider reaches the season’s halfway point in second position of the overall standings in his first year in Moto2
Despite starting the season with three crashes in the first three races, Marc Márquez was able to learn from the mistakes on his new bike and now is having a spectacular upwards trajectory in the category. The four victories he has gathered —the last three, consecutive— and a second position have placed the rider from Cervera in the second position of the standings, which will allow him to face the second half of the season with optimism.
After the great preseason you had, did you expect the World Championship to start as it did?
“My adaptation in the preseason was better than we thought. At the beginning of the competition we did not expect to keep the level of the tests, but I did not expect three crashes at the start either. The positive thing is that we suffered the crashes when fighting for the first positions. We knew that sooner or later the good results will arrive, because we were doing a good job and we had a good level. We only needed a weekend where things went our way, without crashing, and we would get a good result”.
How did you react when you were among the fastest of the category but after the first three races you had zero points?
“It was naturally a bit difficult and we needed time, but with the help of the team, that calmed me down, everything was easier. We knew this was our first season, that we had to learn and note the mistakes to avoid them in the future. We did so and that is why we started to get good results”.
In Moto2 you learn from falling?
“There are different ways to learn in this category and I learnt from falling. This way you learn more and faster”.
However, since France you have four victories and a second position in five races. What has changed? What did you learn to have such a spectacular change?
“What has changed is that I have more kilometres under my belt, I know the reactions of the bike better, I am much more comfortable on it and I am starting to have fun. In addition, we know each other better with the team, Santi [Hernández] and I know each other a lot better and we understand each other better. We have more experience together and that helps us to have now a team that achieves the results we were looking for”.
What is more important in Moto2: to have a good race pace or to get a good position in the starting grid?
“Everything is important. Achieving a good pace, because all races are long and from beginning to end everything can change, but it is also important to get a good position in the starting grid. In the qualifying there are a lot of riders and you can find yourself tenth or fifteenth before realizing it. That forces you to an additional effort in the race that wears you if you ever get to the first positions”.
One of the main features of Moto2 is supposed to be that it is a very close class, but this season only two riders won most of the races: Bradl and you, apart from Iannone, who won one. Did it surprise you? Do you expect anyone else to get to your level in a regular basis?
“Truth is, I am surprised, I thought there would be more variety, but Bradl is showing a great consistency that allows him to be on the lead. We have to be patient and go step by step. Being our first year here and with so many high level riders around, it is important to be calmed. I think that in the rest of the season the winners will be more varied. There are some riders that can surprise us at any moment: Luthi, De Angelis, Takahashi, Iannone, Aleix Espargaró or Julián Simón, among others”.
What is your assessment of the first half of the season and how do you plan the second part?
“It is very positive. I think that we have to focus on the last part of the first half of the championship, as we achieved a good level and some victories. I am very happy. The retirements at the beginning of the season have their weight now, but it is the first year, we have to accept them and learn from our mistakes, which we showed we did”.
Any plans for these weeks of holidays?
“Rest and be with my family and friends. I will try to switch off, but I will also train to arrive in Brno in the best form”.
