Marquez Battles Barcelona Blues: Struggles on Home Turf Highlight Season’s Challenges

"Among the least favorable": Marc Marquez identifies a handful of circuits where his unique technique falls short

Marc Marquez states, "Currently, we're aiming for 5th to 7th place. Nothing more."

In another disappointing turn of events at the MotoGP, Marc Marquez missed out on securing a spot in the top ten during Friday's session. This marks the second consecutive event where he has faced this setback. Consequently, Marquez will have to battle his way through the challenging Qualifying 1 session on Saturday, which he has

The contrast between the Le Mans event and the initial day at his local Catalunya circuit was that Marquez and his crew experimented with a novel configuration in France, then switched back to their usual foundational setup for the second day.

However, the Barcelona circuit, known for its minimal grip, is presenting challenges. The foundation that has led to their success in other locations, including second-place finishes in three of the past four races, is not demonstrating the same level of effectiveness here.

However, Marquez mentioned that it didn't catch him off guard, noting that Montmelo is among a select few, specifically '3 or 4', circuits where he anticipates facing challenges this year.

"Obviously, we aimed to steer clear of it, but we anticipated challenges here in Barcelona," Marquez admitted, having fallen from second in FP1 to 12th by the afternoon, just behind his brother and teammate Alex.

"Our performance on the race track with the medium tire was surprisingly better than anticipated, but during the time trial, we fell short of making it to Qualifying 2 by a mere tenth of a second. As a result, tomorrow we'll find ourselves in the most challenging session, the dreaded Qualifying 1, which is considered the weekend's toughest practice."

When asked about his specific challenges, the Gresini Ducati competitor mentioned that his typical advantage in braking is presently a shortcoming.

“The primary challenge for me is entering the corners,” the eight-time world champion shared. “That's the area where I still don't feel entirely at ease. Usually, braking is one of my strengths, but in this scenario, it's turned into a weakness. We really need to get a good grasp on the bike's balance.”

"Indeed, my unique approach is effective on the majority of circuits," he continued. "However, there are about 3-4 tracks on the schedule where it's not as effective. The upside is that it's just 3-4 tracks out of 20!"

"Improvements are necessary for both the motorcycle and my technique by tomorrow. When I headed out this morning, I immediately felt fantastic. However, this afternoon, inexplicably, right from the first attempt, I haven't been feeling as great."

"Compared to Friday in Le Mans where we were aware of the issue, today's ride with our base setup leaves us needing to identify what the problem is."

As of Friday night, Marquez mentioned that he lacks the speed to compete for a podium spot in Saturday's Sprint.

"Much hinges on how we fare in the qualifying rounds, as is typically the case. However, if we manage to perform well in qualifying and secure a position on the third row, for instance, our prospects range from 5th to 7th place at this time. And not any higher.

"In Montmelo, it appears that KTM and Aprilia have shown improved performance, indicating a positive outcome."

"This circuit stands out from the rest, requiring a unique equilibrium to be competitive across the season's schedule. Currently, we're facing more challenges here compared to other circuits, yet we remain in close contention."

Which other circuits does Marquez anticipate facing difficulties at?

"Qatar, Montmelo, and to some extent Malaysia and Indonesia, though it varies… The bike's performance is evolving, so we'll have to wait and see," he responded.

"However, I must admit, this instance stands out as particularly dreadful."

Defending champion Francesco Bagnaia stood out as the sole Ducati competitor among the top five on Friday, while Alex Marquez led the GP23 category, finishing eleventh.

Marquez emerged victorious at the Catalunya races in both 2014 and 2019, competing under the Repsol Honda team.

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