Marc Marquez questioned about sandbagging at Qatar MotoGP test
Is Marc Marquez withholding his true𒉰 potential at the Qatar MotoGP preseason test?
168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Marc Marquez has denied that he is sandbagging at the preseason MotoGP test in Qatar.
M𒐪arquez was 16th-fastest on Monday, the firs🔥t of two days testing in Qatar.
He was +0.919s behind leader Francesc𒀰o Bagnaia, while Jorge Martin was second.
Som⛦e within the MotoGP paddo꧅ck have wondered if the new Gresini Ducati rider is intentionally holding back his true performance until the first race of the 2024 season.
Marquez was asked, after Monday at the Qatar test, if he is withholding🦹 some of hi༒s competitiveness.
“No. Of course I am pushing,” Marquez said, shrug𒁏ging.
“Everybody is pushing in the test.
“But I need to understand a few things.
“[Tue🎀sday] is an important day to understa🧜nd the pace that we will have for the season.
“Of course, in the season you can adapt.
“I🌳t was not bad. It was g𒁏ood, especially in the last part of the day.
“As in Malayꦏsia, I started to feel better and bette🐻r.
“[Tuesday] will be the time to do mor𒁃e laps. The track conditions will be better.
“We can work from the beginning.”
Marquez w🌼as sixth in a sprint simulation on Monday, an area where he also caught the eye durin🍷g the preseason Sepang test.
But it was noticeable that the final timesheet showed Marquez as the🌃 slowest Duca🔜ti, except for test rider Michele Pirro.
He summarised his Monday: “Today I feel better. I🤡 went out, I played more with the bike.
“I was sliding on entry, this is my style.
“Let’s see if on [Tuesday] I can take anoth🐭er step.
“It’s true that Bagn♚aia and Martin are faster than all the Ducatis🍸.
“Then, t💞here is a group. We need to understand how to ride, especially in a few corners wh𒀰ere we were losing too much.”
Marquez will ride a GP23 Ducati this year, while title rivals Bꦺa✱gnaia and Martin hop onto the newer bike.
The eight-time ඣworld champion has been busy setting up last season’s titlඣe-winning machine to his own liking.
Marquez s♍aid about his bike: “Yeah, not bad. It’s working well, the bike, in Qatar.
“It’s different from what I remember in October.
“It’s true tꦆhat we are working in a good way, we did a few steps, especially in the end.
“I can’t wꦚ🦩ait til [Tuesday] to keep riding and to learn more and more.”
James was a sports journalist at Sky S🍌ports for a decade covering everything from 𒁃American sports, to football, to F1.
