MotoGP Italy, Marc Marquez anxious: “I know my physical limitations”

MotoGP is at Mugello this May weekend. All the reigning class riders are preparing accordingly, including the Repsol Honda team of course. At a track that is very physical, Marc Marquez will need to put his still recovering arm under strain, but Pol Espargaró will also need to perform during what is his first visit to Mugello aboard the RC213V. What will the two Honda riders be able to do?

 Marc Marquez: “It won’t be easy”

For Marc Marquez, Mugello has brought joy and pain. His win in 2014 and second-place finishes in 2016 and 2019 are highlights, while his high-speed crash in 2013 was a low of course, the rider sliding on the grass around San Donato and coming very close to the protective wall. It won’t be an easy track for him, considering he’s not yet 100% fit: “I have had a good week to continue with the recovery process – comments Marc - We showed our potential in the wet in France and this weekend in Mugello we have to work well from Friday morning to try to be consistent and find good pace. I understand my physical limitations and know that it will not be the easiest of weekends to be close to the front in the dry. Now we arrive at two back-to-back races, which is a first for me this year. It will be more physically demanding, but we can manage it.”

 Pol Espargaró: “We need to work well in practice”

Pol Espargaró also talks about the Italian weekend: “After not visiting the track in 2020 it will be nice to return to Mugello this year, riding a MotoGP bike down the straight there is something really unique. We will have to see how our bike is behaving there as it’s a very different circuit to where we have been. There will be a lot of competition this weekend, but if we work well throughout practice, I think we can be there and fighting. Then we have another race in Barcelona straight after, it’s going to be an exciting couple of weeks.”

Translated by Heather Watson

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