The Gresini rider concluded Friday’s sessions at the Algarve International Circuit with a solid performance, securing a spot in Q2 on Saturday after clinching third place in the second practice session.
However, Marquez encountered his first crash of the race weekend aboard the Ducati, as he skidded off his GP23 Ducati at Turn 5 while pushing on his final time attack lap.
Reflecting on the incident, Marquez attributed it to a “small change” made to the bike that boosted his confidence, yet when he lost control under braking, his ingrained instincts from riding the Honda took over, resulting in the crash.
“We did a small change on the bike, it gave me more confidence,” Marquez explained. “If you have more confidence, you are able to push more and step by step we need to go in that way.
“The crash, for example, was on the time attack, on the last time attack, and as I said yesterday when I was behind somebody with Honda I felt better.
“With the Ducati, I feel worse. So, it’s there where I try to manage in a new way. I lost the rear on entry, it was a strange crash, but in the end, I did a mistake and I need to analyse well. I think I know why I crashed.”
He elaborated further, stating, “As I said to you, when I do time attack, my instinct arrives, and then I was used to going super-fast on the apex with the Honda with some sliding.
“With this bike, you need to ride in a different way, the potential is in another area.
“In that braking point I had the shaking on the first part, and then the speed was too fast but I tried to go in with that instinct with some slide. But now we know that I can’t.”
Nevertheless, Marquez expressed his satisfaction with riding the Ducati in Portugal, believing it would be “easier” to handle a race distance compared to the challenges faced in Qatar.
“Easier than Qatar,” he remarked when asked about his expectations for managing a race in Portugal.
“In Qatar I was struggling a bit more. I was riding some of you would say conservative, but I was just riding without confidence.
“And it looks conservative, but if you don’t have the confidence you can’t push.
“So, here the confidence is better. Also, Frankie [Carchedi, crew chief] starts to understand better my riding style, I start to understand better the bike and we did a small change on the bike.
“I start to know what I need on the bike to be fast.
“And all these things help to have more confidence and be faster on the lap times. And especially be quick on the times, which is one of the most important things on the race weekend.”
