Marc Marquez Eyes Victory at Aragon GP Amid Tire Adaptation Challenges

Marc Marquez aims to validate his Austrian MotoGP pace at the Aragon Grand Prix

A unique rear tire design obscured Marc Marquez's performance at the Austrian MotoGP, despite demonstrating significant speed.

Marc Marquez has not made it to the podium in any MotoGP race since the season resumed after the summer hiatus, despite demonstrating considerable pace in Austria.

An unfavorable beginning, due to an inability to activate his front start mechanism as he approached his third-place starting spot, saw him fall to 14th position by the first corner. Climbing back to fourth, once Marquez found himself in open space, he demonstrated a speed superior to that of Enea Bastianini, who finished third, and comparable to the frontrunners: Jorge Martin and the ultimate winner Francesco Bagnaia.

Nonetheless, Marquez's enhanced showing compared to his previous outing at the British Grand Prix, where he similarly secured a fourth-place finish, happened during a somewhat unusual weekend in MotoGP in terms of the tyres Michelin supplied for the event.

The continuous intense bursts of speed on the Red Bull Ring track pose a particular challenge for the rear tyre, as it undergoes severe stress and thus reaches higher temperatures than seen at other tracks. To address this issue, Michelin opts for a more robust rear tyre design for the Austrian Grand Prix, altering the technical setup for all competing motorcycles in this event. This specific tyre construction is also employed for the races in Thailand and Indonesia, where similar conditions are encountered.

Modifications in tire design have led Marquez to be wary about the possibility of maintaining his performance from Austria in future competitions.

"Marquez mentioned to TNT Sports following the race in Austria that the tyre housing will switch back to a regular model for the Aragon event. He expressed curiosity about whether the unique tyre designed specifically for Austria or the conventional 2024 model would suit him better, a determination he expects to make in Aragon."

This weekend marks MotoGP's return to Aragon for the first time since 2022. The Aragon Grand Prix was not held in 2023 due to a resurfacing project at the MotorLand circuit. As a result, the track is expected to offer improved grip compared to its performance in past races.

This results in a particularly notable race in terms of tyre selection, with Michelin opting for its more durable range of compounds. What's more, it will bring three options for rear tyres instead of the typical two. This change is in response to the track's new surface and the race's rescheduled date, which is expected to lead to warmer track temperatures than those historically recorded.

"Managing temperature and tire degradation are set to be the primary obstacles this weekend," Piero Taramasso, who oversees Michelin's two-wheel motorsport division, stated. "In anticipation of the forecasted weather, we've selected relatively hard tire compounds from our latest collections, considering the track's temperature might soar up to 50C.

Two years prior, the competition occurred on September 18, under somewhat simpler weather conditions, and it was held on a circuit that was very familiar to us.

"Considering the recent paving, the layout of the race track, and the considerable demands it places on both the front and rear tires, we are initiating with a fresh set of tires."

MotorLand has consistently been among the toughest tracks in the schedule when it comes to rear tyre maintenance. The variety of extended-radius turns makes preserving lateral traction tough, similar to Silverstone, where Marquez faced difficulties earlier in the month.

Aragon, running counter-clockwise, has consistently been a top-performing circuit for Marquez, securing victories in the premier class during the years 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2019.

In his latest two appearances, however, he faced setbacks, losing a close contest to Francesco Bagnaia in 2021, and experiencing a fall at the start of the race in 2022.

Marquez confirmed, just as he did in Sachsenring and Austin, that he enjoys racing at the Aragon track. He mentioned that achieving an ideal weekend might open up the possibility to compete with the leading racers. However, he acknowledged their exceptional speed, noting that even under flawless conditions and at his best, challenging them would still be tough.

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