Marc Marquez underplays podium finish chance in debut MotoGP season – MotoGP news
Marc Marquez, the reigning Moto2 champion, who will be riding in his debut MotoGP season this year, has belittled the chances of posting a podium finish.
“Right now I don't think it's doable,” Marquez said while talking to AS about the prospect of a podium finished in the Qatar Grand Prix.
Dani Pedrosa, after winning the 250cc World Championship – Moto2’s predecessor – in 2005 made his MotoGP debut in 2006 and managed a podium in the 2006 Spanish Grand Prix, the inaugural round of the season. Same goes for Jorge Lorenzo, who managed a debut
podium in 2008 Qatar Grand Prix after winning the 250cc World Championship in 2007.
Marquez had a wonderful 2012 Moto2 run. The Spaniard winning 9 out of 17 rounds and posting 14 podiums as well went on to claim the 2012 Moto2 title. Now that Marquez will be riding in the MotoGP class this year, it remains to be seen if he can follow in
the footsteps of Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa or not.
In his first full-day dry test of the Honda MotoGP bike that he will be riding in 2013, Marquez showed quite impressive results. Marquez finished his fastest lap in 2 minutes and 1.355 seconds, only one second off 2012’s Sepang pole place.
“Testing has been better than I imagined. In Malaysia when I got there I thought it would be three tough days, but I started gaining confidence with the bike and began to try new things. I still have a long way to go though and I'm hoping to take full advantage
of the remaining tests,” Marquez said.
Honda have given clear instructions to Marquez asking him not to push things too far and try to ease himself into the MotoGP class. Having done quite well in the testing sessions, Marquez has admitted that he has adapted to the Honda bike very quickly, but
still he emphasises the point that finishing amongst the top three riders from the word go was unlikely.
“I'm not ruling out anything - it's impossible to predict - but Honda has told me to be calm. What they want to see is progress and me taking my time and improving,” Marquez said.
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