Alex Marquez says he is still struggling physically at the Silverstone MotoGP.
Alex Marquez’s physical problems have not fully disappeared over the MotoGP summer break, he says.
Marquez’s physical limitations at the moment stem from his huge crash at the Catalan MotoGP in May.
He returned from the injuries, which included a fractured vertebra, at the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of June, but even after a four-week summer break he found himself low on energy by the end of Friday at the British Grand Prix, which he suggested afterwards was to blame for his seventh position in Practice.
“I didn't try many things,” Alex Marquez said after Practice at Silverstone.
“Just this afternoon, for me one hour is too long. I arrived a little bit like [at the limit] with the force. I was too tired in the afternoon.
“It's true that I focused a lot with the medium rear. Everybody tried the medium and then the soft, or opposite [order], and I arrived a little bit in that point with no information and not knowing […] where I need to go more aggressive or not.
“But it was fine. Everything is quite close.
“It's true that the Aprilias here are flying as we expected, but we are not far. So, small problems, but I think that tomorrow if we can solve it, we can make a good step forward, and on race pace we are not bad, so this is the good thing.”
Marquez added that it will not be clear until after qualifying whether he will have a chance for the podium or better, but he also expressed confidence in his own pace.
“After the quali we will know if we have chances or not,” he said.
“But it looks like the Aprilias here have rhythm and also time attack, so it will be difficult to compete with them.
“But we need to strike the maximum potential because I think we have race pace in a good way, similar to them.
“But, you know if you are P7 in quali, then it will be difficult.”
On the physical side, the Gresini Racing rider admitted that he expected to feel better at Silverstone.