Marquez’s Rally Race Concerns and Tire Strategy Dilemmas Ahead of Australian MotoGP Showdown with Martin

Marc Marquez expresses concerns over speed if the Australian MotoGP resembles a rally

Gresini competitor shares varied opinions on competing against Jorge Martin this Sunday

Marc Marquez is confident he can compete against Jorge Martin in the upcoming MotoGP Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, provided the race doesn't resemble a rally competition.

Marquez led the session on Friday at Phillip Island, yet he was certain that the GP24s would advance past him by Saturday, after they had the opportunity to review practice data.

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Certainly, Martin excelled in a challenging qualifying session, securing the pole position in front of Marquez, and proved to be unbeatable in the sprint race, finishing 1.5 seconds ahead of the Gresini racer after slowing down during the final laps.

Marquez's performance in the race was hindered because he misjudged Martin's braking point at Turn 1 during the initial lap. This mistake caused the eight-time world champion to go off track, putting him in a position where he had to recover from eighth place.

"Before the race began, I mentioned, 'Alright, the first lap should be standard, and then the race will become less challenging,'" he shared with motogp.com.

"Right off the bat, at the initial turn, I made an error. I misjudged how Martin applied his brakes."

Indeed, he applied the brakes with great force, but that's the method to deactivate the front mechanism, followed by the rear mechanism, after beginning.

"Thus, a minor error combined with the wind resulted in a significant loss of places for me. Following that, I maintained my focus, aiming to aggressively make up ground from the start of the lap, being careful not to overdo it as that could easily lead to further errors."

"Therefore, I concentrated solely on securing the runner-up spot. Upon reaching it, I attempted to increase my pace for a couple of laps, yet I noticed Martin responded effectively. We'll get another chance tomorrow."

Marquez is confident he can compete against Martin in the upcoming Sunday race, yet he's concerned that a stretched-out 'rally race' might benefit the Pramac racer more than himself.

"He responded with uncertainty, indicating he might or might not be able to challenge Martin in the grand prix."

"In my opinion, definitely. However, speaking frankly as things stand now, should there be a solo 'rally race' tomorrow, he would outpace me."

"Okay, we'll aim for a strong opening lap and pay close attention to the wind and track temperature. It's crucial since the wind direction here shifts, affecting how we ride."

Regarding the selection of tires for the grand prix, Marquez is uncertain about his strategy and is looking for Michelin to provide guidance on possible blistering issues.

"At this moment, during the race, choosing the soft rear tire was the right decision," he mentioned.

"We must slice open the tire to analyze the wear. Michelin is required to brief the teams on the nature of the notorious blistering, which typically occurs with new asphalt."

"However, let's consider the options. It seems likely to come down to choosing between the soft rear and medium, which will be pivotal. In this case, when the tyre's performance declines, it could lead to a decrease in speed by one or two seconds."

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