Marc Marquez P13 to P2: “Sometimes instinct, sometimes you need to be lucky”

Marc Marquez relied upon experience, instinct and also luck to make one of the best starts of the 2024 MotoGP season at Le Mans.

After a shock elimination in Q1, Marquez bounced back from P13 with a stunning performance in the sprint as he finished second behind series leader Jorge Martin.

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“The plan was that start [laughs]; no I’m joking! Today we did a step this morning and I started to feel the bike,” said Marc Marquez.

“We learned a lot this weekend, we learned a lot of things and on that Friday we did a few mistakes and went in the wrong direction.

“But today we reacted but the problem was that Q1 is super difficult and I was not convinced. Then I can point to the yellow flag and say big mistakes, but I was not convinced. 

“I felt like I had speed but I didn’t show it. Then in the sprint race you can look at the start, the first lap, but the most important was the next laps.

“That pace in the 31s low and 30s high, similar to Martin and Bezzecchi who were the fastest ones on the race track and that was the most important and what makes me happy.”

Marquez was eliminated from the first part of qualifying after a late lap from Miguel Oliveira bumped the former Honda rider out of the top two positions.

But the eight-time world champion fought back in brilliant style as he gained nine places on lap one.

Many of those were made up at the start as he rode around the outside of Fabio Quartararo, Pedro Acosta and Jack Miller in turn 2.

“Of course, the start and that first lap was the key of the race,” added Marquez. “This is true, but the start is sometimes instinct, sometimes you need to be a bit lucky. 

“Of course, we did a perfect start and I was fully concentrated to do it.

“Sometimes you can do it and sometimes you can’t. But we showed later the pace consistently. 

“I was catching Bezzecchi step-by-step and that was super good.”

But can Marquez replicate his start heroics during Sunday’s grand prix?

Marquez concluded: “The worst thing from today is the P13 on the start. That last lap of Miguel Oliveira [laughs]. 

“I was out of Q2 and it’s the biggest penalty of the weekend but we need to forget and find the best.

“Tomorrow might be damp conditions so we need to understand and try to take the maximum from the situation.”