MotoGP schedule change: “We are full attack from P1” - Marc Marquez

From next month’s Silverstone round, only lap times set on Friday afternoon will determine the top ten riders heading straight for Qualifying 2 (without the need to take part in Qualifying 1).

While Practice 2 is thought to have been faster than Practice 1 in 98% of cases anyway, the chance of possible weather changes in the afternoon meant many riders pushed for a flying lap at the end of the morning just in case.

That involved taking risks on a dirty track with only minimal set-up work, something that the new format will reduce. It will also allow more potential time for teams to work on the development of new parts, without worrying about the stopwatch.

But eight-time world champion Marc Marquez had been hoping MotoGP might go further and designate all of Friday as free practice, then switch Saturday’s FP3 into the top ten decider for Q1/Q2.

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Prior to the introduction of Sprint races this season, the combined practice results from Friday's FP1 and FP2 plus Saturday's FP3 were used to determine the top ten riders heading straight to Q2.

“For me now on the race weekends, the problem is that we are full attack from P1,” Marquez explained. “Last year you were like just pushing in FP3 [Saturday morning] if it was normal weather. That would be the time to do the lap time.

“But now [with the new Sprint race schedule] in Practice 1 you already want soft tyres, full attack. In Practice 2, two more soft tyres. Then Qualifying, then the Sprint race…

“This is what I say, and I continue saying, that for the future maybe we need to readjust - I don't think to take out the Sprint race, but maybe just forget about Friday. Friday must be a free practice and then just concentrate on Saturday.

“But everybody is riding a lot more in the limit.”