The eight-time world champion shrugged off a crash during qualifying, which relegated him to eighth on the grid. Despite this setback, he fought his way up to second place in Saturday’s 12-lap sprint at the Algarve International Circuit.
Seizing the position from Pramac’s Jorge Martin on the final lap, it marked Marquez’s inaugural podium finish on the Ducati in only his second weekend with the team.
“I made a significant error during that qualifying session, causing me to start from the third row when it could have been easily the second,” Marquez explained.
“Starting from the third row penalizes heavily. However, today we showcased impressive speed; we’re faster than we were in Qatar. This speed has enabled me to overtake and maintain consistency.”
He continued, “The most crucial aspect this weekend is the speed we’ve attained, irrespective of what happens tomorrow. I can execute overtakes, which is a significant improvement.”
Marquez’s crash during qualifying occurred at the beginning of Q2, resulting in a rapid journey through the gravel at Turn 15’s downhill section.
The Spaniard clarified that the crash occurred due to engaging his rear ride height device prematurely, causing his Ducati’s forks to bottom out and leading to the fall.
“Typically, you engage it when easing off the throttle, but I made a major mistake by engaging it while still on the throttle,” he elaborated.
“It was a significant error that I must learn from. My mechanics questioned why I pressed the button, but I did. I didn’t anticipate pressing it that early. However, it’s evident in the footage. It was a substantial error that serves as a lesson for the future.”