Marquez Dazzles with Dramatic 65-Degree Save on Ducati at Indonesian MotoGP Practice

Marc Marquez on his save: "Ducati tops the chart"

"It's been a while since I've managed a significant save, though I've had minor ones occasionally."

Marc Marquez turned back time by executing an impressive 65-degree front end save in the Friday afternoon practice session for the Indonesian MotoGP.

The Spanish rider skillfully righted his Gresini motorcycle using his knee and elbow, a maneuver he had executed frequently throughout his tenure with Repsol Honda.

Nonetheless, it was his inaugural instance of executing such a remarkable save while riding a Ducati.

"Marquez flashed a smile, saying, 'With Ducati, it's the top choice, the top choice and currently, the sole option."

"At times, I've managed minor savings, but it's been quite a while since I experienced any significant ones."

WOW! 😲 Unbelievable! How did @marcmarquez93 manage to recover that?! 😵 #IndonesianGP 🇮🇩 pic.twitter.com/yfmuCY3nYC

Marquez explained, “With less-than-ideal grip, there’s a higher likelihood of managing to save yourself. For instance, at Misano, the track was significantly grippier compared to this location, leading to numerous crashes. Once the front end goes under those conditions, there’s no recovering it.”

"Here, there's a greater margin for error. However, as the track improves, there will be diminishing opportunities to make such recoveries."

Following his commanding performance in the low-traction Aragon round, Marquez was expected to excel during the dusty first day at Mandalika.

Nevertheless, he ended up in sixth and seventh positions in the practice sessions.

"Marquez expressed a great sense of satisfaction in making the save, though he reiterated his previous sentiment: While the save was impressive and added to the spectacle, it indicated that he wasn't at ease and highlighted the necessity for ongoing improvement."

"I was optimistic about starting off strong, but I harbored some doubts due to my consistent challenges at this circuit."

"Indeed, I faced quite a few challenges during FP1. Moving on to FP2, I managed to enhance my performance, as well as that of the motorcycle. However, looking ahead to tomorrow, there's a need for me to make some advancements, particularly in Sector 2, which has been my toughest area."

The eight-time world champion was also optimistic that the comeback of the tougher rear tire would lead to him replicating his impressive speed at the Red Bull Ring.

"This year, I've been struggling with the rear [tyre] pushing towards the front," he explained. "As a result, my turns come later, and my exit from corners is delayed. It's all interconnected."

"At the Red Bull Ring, my performance improved progressively, yet today, back here, I'm facing some challenges, particularly with the new tire."

"Using the old tyre didn't bother me much, but when it came to the new tyre, I had a hard time during the time attack trying to get it because the issue of it pushing [from the back] to the front became even more problematic."

Nonetheless, it appears Marquez still faces challenges, even when utilizing a previously worn medium rear tire.

Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martin each clocked times in the mid-1 minute 30 seconds range on worn medium tires earlier today, while Marquez achieved a time of 1 minute 31.2 seconds. Francesco Bagnaia recorded a close time of 1 minute 31.4 seconds.

Explore Further

Sign up for our MotoGP Newsletter

Stay updated with the newest MotoGP developments, behind-the-scenes exclusives, one-on-one interviews, and special offers delivered straight to your email.

For additional details, refer to our Privacy Policy.

Recent Updates

Further Updates

Site Navigation

CrashNet

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

Copying or reproducing any part of the content, whether text, photos, or illustrations, in any manner is strictly forbidden.