Marc Marquez questioned about sandbagging at Qatar MotoGP test
Is Marc Marquez withholding his trueജ potentiaꦯl 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.
Marquez was 16th-fastest on Monday, the first 🌠of two days testing in Qatar.
He was +0.919s beh🎃ind leader Francesco Bagnaia, while Jorge Martin was second.
Some within the MotoGP paddock ha𝓀ve 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🌟 his competitiveness.
“No. Of course I am♊ pushing,” Marquez said, shrꦰugging.
“Everybody is pushing in the test.
“But I need to understand a few things.
“[Tuesday] is an importantဣ day to under𝓀stand the pace that we will have for the season.
“Of course, in the season you can adapt.
“It was not bad. It was good, especially in the last part of t🐽he day.
“As in Malaysia, I started to feel 🌄bettওer and better.
“[Tuesday] will be the time to do more laps. The✃ track conditions will be bett🉐er.
“We can work from the beginning.”
Marquez was sixth in a sprint simulation on Monday, an area where he also caught the eye during the preseasꦜon Sepang test.
But it was noticeable that the final timesheet showed Marquez as the slowe🌊st Ducati, except for test rider Michele Pirro.
He summarised his Monday: “Today I feel b♛etter. I went out, I played more with the bike.
“I was sliding on entry, this is my style.
“Let’s se෴e if on [Tuesꦯday] I can take another step.
“It’s true th�🔯�at Bagnaia and Martin are faster than all the Ducatis.
“Then, there is a group. We🎉 need to understand how to ride, especially in a few corners where we were losing too much.”
Marquez will ride a GP23 Ducati this year, while title rivals Bagnaia and Martin hop onto the newer🅠 bike.
The eight-time world champion has been busy setting up last season’s title-♑winning꧙ machine to his own liking.
Marquez said about his b🐻ike: “Yeah, not bad. It’s working well, the bike, in Qatar.
“It’s different from what I remember in October.
“It’s true that we are working in a good way, we did a few steps, especialಞly in the end.
“I ca𓆏n’t wait til [Tuesday] to keep riding an🌼d to learn more and more.”
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything f🙈rom American sports, to𓆉 football, to F1.
