Road Racing News: Marquez Struggles with Rear Grip, Crashes in Le Mans Friday Practice
May 13, 2022 | Le Mans, France
Gresini Ducati rider Marc Marquez faced an uncharacteristic struggle during the hour-long Friday afternoon practice at the French Grand Prix, ultimately ending up 13th and relegated to Q1.
“It’s the first Friday it was difficult, and the other Fridays were quite easy, pace was good, was easy to be in Q2,” Marquez explained. “But it’s true that it’s the first Friday we struggled more and it can happen.”
The Spaniard attributed his difficulties to a lack of feeling from the rear grip of his bike, forcing him to overcompensate on the front. “I’m struggling because I’m pushing too much on the front because I don’t feel the rear. So, we need to understand how to feel better on the rear,” he said.
Marquez’s crash at Turn 12 in second practice, his first on the Ducati due to overriding, added to his woes. “Today was the first crash for overriding,” he acknowledged. “You can see the image, I was fighting against the bike. I was not smooth enough, I was not clean on the lines and in that crash, I leant too much.”
The Gresini Racing rider may need to revert to his standard settings for Saturday after trying an alternative set-up direction in FP1, which initially showed promise. When asked about the differences between his two bikes following the crash, Marquez replied, “No, it was very similar between first bike, second bike. Was a big difference compared to this morning.”
Marquez dismissed suggestions that rumors surrounding his future were a distraction, emphasizing his years of experience in MotoGP. “I’m already 13 years, 14 years in MotoGP. So, I don’t feel that pressure. [It’s] the first Friday that we struggle, and this can happen and now it’s time to react.”
As Road Racing News continues to follow Marquez’s journey, one thing is clear: the Spanish rider is focused on rectifying his issues and getting back to his usual form. With Saturday’s qualifying and the French Grand Prix fast approaching, Marquez will need to regroup and find his rhythm to secure a strong result.
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