During practice for the Spanish MotoGP Grand Prix at Jerez, a high-speed crash at turn five significantly affected Alex Marquez. Although it did not reduce his pace on the track, the Spanish rider openly acknowledged the physical pain he suffered, considering it as something he “deserves”. The incident happened during the practice sessions, where Marquez had already shown remarkable speed earlier in the day.
Marquez was identified as the “strongest” rider at Jerez by his brother and fellow racer, Marc Marquez, after Friday’s sessions. He had set the fastest time in FP1 thanks to a late time attack, even surviving a minor crash at turn one. However, the second crash at turn five was far more impactful. Marquez, who is second in the MotoGP standings, spent 30 minutes off track after the red flag period ended to assess his physical condition before returning for further trials.
In a candid interview with MotoGP.com, Marquez reflected on the aftermath, expressing that the pain worsens over time. “I think tomorrow will be worse,” he said, pointing out the impact on parts like his arm and wrist. He accepted responsibility by saying, “I did a mistake so I deserve to have this pain.” Despite the setback, Marquez returned for the final 20 minutes of practice and secured a lap record of 1:35.991, marking the first-ever sub-1:36 lap of the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto by a MotoGP bike.
Marquez attributed his quick return to the combination of determination and optimism. “I was in my office for 40 minutes watching all the session, but I said ‘Come on, after the stupid mistake that you did you need to turn [this] around,’” he shared. Although he hadn’t expected to clock a 1:35, his earlier time of 1:36.3 pushed him to aim higher.
Despite the achievement, Marquez confessed to having regrets about losing the opportunity to experiment with different tyres and setups with his Gresini Racing team. “Happy with that [lap time], but not happy with the mistakes,” he admitted, acknowledging the extra workload ahead. “The plan was to try a few tyres but also some different setups, so we didn’t do the work, so tomorrow we have double the work compared to everybody [else]. But it’s also our mistakes so we need to turn [it] around.”
Marquez elaborated on his mistakes, attributing them to overconfidence. “The mistakes, I was riding with too much confidence,” he explained, noting how the quality of the bike played a role. “The bike was too good, honestly speaking, and I was not feeling the limit, it was like ‘This bike has no limit here,’ but then I realised twice that the limit is there.”
The Spanish rider emphasized the need to learn and adapt, recognizing the cost of such mistakes for championship prospects. “We need to control more because these mistakes on Friday cost us something for the championship,” he said, reflecting on the urge to tame his motivation, especially with a supportive local crowd. As he looks forward, Marquez intends to approach the next day with determination and lessons learned from Friday’s experiences.
In the high-stakes world of MotoGP, every practice session and race can drastically shift the playing field. The incident serves as a poignant reminder for Alex Marquez of the delicate balance between skill and restraint, especially when racing at home in Spain. As the event progresses, Marquez aims to channel these experiences into honing his strategy and improving future performances. The upcoming challenges of the Spanish MotoGP Grand Prix will test not just his physical endurance, but also his mental resilience as he navigates the track alongside top competitors.
