Alex Marquez: Valencia a celebration, best place to end season

On paper, the 2021 MotoGP season is perhaps ending a little too soon for Alex Marquez, having taken his best result of the season with fourth place last weekend in Portimao.

But in terms of a the venue, the LCR Honda rider believes the stadium-style experience at Valencia – which is welcoming fans back for the first time since the Covid pandemic - is the perfect place.

“A stadium-type racetrack is very special because the atmosphere is different, you connect more with the fans and for them it is also a great advantage, since they see almost the entire track," said Marquez.

"I think Valencia is the best place to end the season because it is always a great motorcycle celebration.

"My favourite section is especially sector 1 as I like a lot the fast turns. Turn 1 is beautiful, a very fast left turn that I really like. Sector 3 is also very beautiful.

"The most complicated section, where we always suffer from the lack temperature on the right side of the tyre, is at turns 4 and 5. However, you can also make a difference there.”

For countryman Joan Mir, who took his first and so far only MotoGP win at Valencia last season, the last sector is critical.

“The last sector is where races are decided," he said. "The last turn is decisive for the outcome on many occasions. The main sector, therefore, is the last one.

"The trickiest [sector] is maybe the first one for us, since the straight allows more powerful bikes to pass us easily and then it is difficult to pass them back again."

Suzuki team-mate Alex Rins knows from personal experience how important the final corner can be having been beaten by Maverick Vinales and Jonas Folger on the run to the line in 2013.

"The key area is clear, the last corner and the final straight. I say this due to my own experience at the final turn with Maverick back in 2013… It is clear that a world title can be decided there!" Rins said.

“I think the Valencia event is great for the fans, and I must say that it is amazing to see all those stands full of people.

"Although sector 3 is my favourite, turns 'Doohan' and 'Aficion' are also fantastic because you see the crowd so close. They are turns in which you can overtake or prepare to overtake. "