Marc Marquez’s Austrian GP Ordeal: A Pre-Race Chaos Unfolds with Start Device Mishap and Tyre Troubles

Marc Marquez exposes turmoil surrounding the malfunction of the Austrian MotoGP start device

The issues for Marc Marquez at the Austrian MotoGP started even before exiting the Gresini team's pit…

Marc Marquez disclosed that his challenges during the onset of the Austrian MotoGP were already in motion well before he mounted his GP23 and exited the Gresini garage.

The eight-time world champion faced difficulty as he was unable to activate his front start mechanism on the grid, leading to him falling behind into the first turn. Subsequently, he collided with Franco Morbidelli while braking, which resulted in him slipping to 13th position.

However, this all stemmed from an atypical problem with the tyres before the race commenced.

The initial indication of the issue was observed when Marquez entered the rear of the Gresini garage about 30 minutes prior to the race's commencement, and television footage captured two technicians hurriedly moving past him carrying a front tire.

"Today didn't go our way," Marquez commented, after making his way back to fourth place in the grand prix. "It was unfortunate, because just half an hour before we were set to start, when the mechanics were verifying the tire pressure, they discovered a broken valve."

"Following that, as depicted in the television footage, they hurried to Michelin to switch the tire onto a different wheel."

"However, throughout that process, which was excellently executed and very well done, the temperature of the tire significantly decreased. This drop in temperature then led to the ensuing chaos."

"During the warm-up lap, my focus was primarily on heating up the front tire."

"Approaching the final stretch, I slowed down and successfully activated the front mechanism. However, I slowed down once more in an attempt to warm up the front tire, which inadvertently caused the mechanism to deactivate. Consequently, I couldn't regain sufficient speed to reactivate it on the track."

"Lacking the initial mechanism, initiating effectively proved challenging. However, I remained incredibly composed at the first turn."

"I agreed, saying 'Alright, I'll start slowing down ahead of time to avoid any excess and let's find out.' However, I was then hit hard from the left, causing us to veer off track. From there, in 13th position, we began to gradually make our way up."

Starting in 2027, the use of ride height mechanisms in MotoGP will be prohibited.

"Marquez announced that the ban is set for 2027. He highlighted that a resolution is already in place, similar to the aerodynamics issue. However, he anticipates a lot of developments in this area from now until 2027, as demonstrated by KTM's recent aerodynamic showcase. Despite this, he opposed suggestions for the holeshot device to be banned sooner."

"We can't prohibit a device [ahead of time] simply because I erred. This rule applies to everyone, and in the past, other riders have made the same mistake too."

He further mentioned, "Indeed, currently there are numerous tasks [to manage] on the motorcycle," he added. "When riders transition from Moto2, they often comment, 'There's an overwhelming amount of tasks to handle'."

"However, in today's scenario, due to the turmoil experienced with the front tyre, my focus was primarily on increasing the tyre's temperature, leading to a diminished concentration on the front mechanism."

"I activated it, but considering the temperature at the front, I deactivated it by applying force and pressure to raise the temperature."

"The situation is as it stands."

Marquez affirmed his speed was sufficient for a podium finish on Sunday, stating, "In Catalunya, we secured a 2nd place in the Sprint and a 3rd in the GP, despite it being one of our most challenging weekends.

This past weekend turned out to be remarkable: The connection to the bike, the velocity during practice, qualifying rounds, and being the fastest in the warm-up stood out. However, it resulted in zero points on the first day and a fourth-place finish on the second.

"However, the pace I really appreciated this weekend was consistently present."

Marquez continues to hold the fourth position in the global championship standings, trailing Francesco Bagnaia by 83 points and sitting 22 points behind Enea Bastianini, who currently occupies third place. Notably, Marquez is set to take over Bastianini's spot on the factory Ducati team in the upcoming season

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