Marc Marquez Overcomes ‘Toughest Friday’ Challenges to Secure Second-Fastest in Japan MotoGP Practice

"Marc Marquez endures a challenging Friday, yet keeps specifics under wraps.

Despite hurdles, Marquez secures the second-fastest time in Japan's practice sessions."

Marc Marquez reported facing "multiple issues" during Friday's practice session at the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix, yet he still managed to secure the second-fastest time.

In the hour-long session on Friday afternoon, the Gresini Ducati competitor came close to leading the times but was narrowly outpaced by Brad Binder, who finished ahead by a mere 0.033 seconds.

However, Marquez's quick pace for a single lap did not hide the difficulties he faced during the second practice session. The eight-time world champion was clearly seen displaying signs of frustration in his Gresini team garage at one point.

Marquez remarked about his day, noting, "It was an odd day, especially because of the weather.

"In the afternoon, conversely, we encountered an odd session filled with numerous minor issues."

"However, functioning in the usual manner was not possible for us."

"We have no knowledge about the tires, yet luckily during the time trial, I felt comfortable and managed to achieve high speed. However, now it's crucial for me to discover that steadiness."

When questioned about the specific nature of his difficulties, Marquez was evasive. However, during his briefing in Spanish, he mentioned that one of his challenges involved braking.

He responded by saying he faced numerous issues when questioned about his difficulties.

"I'm unable to delve into specifics. However, we encountered several minor issues, and it was a crucial exercise."

"Therefore, I understood the significance of participating in Q2 as well."

"The primary motive for me dedicating so much time in the box was to thoroughly prepare, resolve any issues, and execute the time attack successfully."

Frankie Carchedi, Marquez's team leader, expressed on social media that it was among the most challenging Fridays of the year.

"Everything seemed futile, yet managed to solve a couple of issues in the final 10 minutes."

Both riders from Gresini secured their spots directly in Q2 for Saturday's qualifying session, as Alex Marquez landed in eighth position by the conclusion of the second practice. He achieved this by posting a late fast lap time of 1m44.033s, surpassing the VR46 Ducati pair, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marc Bezzecchi.

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