Álex Márquez Reflects on Second Place in the Italian GP Sprint – “I Believed I Had the Potential to Fight with Marc”
Álex Márquez secured 2nd place in the Italian GP sprint race. In the opening stages, he aimed to attack Pecco Bagnaia, only to be surprised when Marc Márquez launched his own move at the same moment. The sudden shift in dynamics, coupled with a rise in front tire temperature, ultimately prevented Álex from closing the gap to his brother. Looking ahead to the main race, he emphasized the importance of tire selection and strategic timing, aiming to ride more cleverly and contend for the win.
Encouraged Despite Narrow Defeat to Brother Marc
“I believed I had the potential to fight with Marc here, but he was better. I was preparing to attack Pecco when Marc came in at the same moment. He had a slower start, so I was thinking, ‘How is he already here?’ Then at Turn 5, when I had a chance to go for an attack, I nearly high-sided, so I prioritized keeping the bike under control. The front tire was getting hotter and hotter. Marc maintained his pace all the way to the end, and I couldn’t catch him. For tomorrow, we’ll carefully consider our tire choice. Both the medium and soft give good feedback, but I want to ride smart.”
Struggling with Track Temperature, Eyes Set on Improvement
“Today, I wanted to lead the race and preserve the front tire, but Marc was faster. I’ll need to control things better tomorrow. I pushed too hard in today’s high track temperatures. I’ll push again tomorrow, but we need to decide when and where to push, and which tire to use. I’m going to analyze everything thoroughly heading into the race.”