“Now I can sleep easy,” says defending MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez, now that he has put to the back of his mind any thoughts about what might have been at Jerez at the weekend.
The MotoGP Honda star withdrew from racing at the Spanish circuit after he didn’t feel 100% happy that he could perform, still trying to recover after the surgery that he underwent following his big crash at the same circuit the week before.
“I know I gave everything I had. I tried. And when you have passion inside, you have to do it. I tried to understand my body. Monday I didn’t think it was possible to try to run right away. But Tuesday after surgery, I started feeling better. I did some flexions. And I realized that I had to at least try.
“I am an optimist of nature. If I hadn’t tried, I’d regret it for life. I was really fine this morning. When I started shooting in 1’37″5, I said to myself, ‘ Come on, we’re here ‘. Later I got back on track and immediately did 1’38 something. Everything was going as planned, I stopped at the box.
“But getting back on the saddle, something had changed. Maybe the heat, maybe the too many turns. His right arm was suddenly without force, he looked like dead. I realized this was getting dangerous. So I couldn’t continue. I thank my physiotherapist and the doctors who checked on me.
“They were very strict: first 20 push-ups against the wall, then another 20 on the ground. Forty folds, and not even a grimace of pain. I started thinking it was possible to run, and like all sportsmen I wanted to give more than 100 %. But I was also last Sunday quiet, because I know I did well: it’s not what they say, that I fell because I wanted to win. I was just happy to run, having fun like I always have all these years. It’s my life.
“(The previous) Sunday in the race when I got behind Maverick Vinales I was satisfied: Fabio Quartararo was 5 seconds away, it would have been impossible to get it back. So I relaxed for a moment, and that’s when I fell. Now I start again thinking about Brno, on August 9.”
Photo courtesy HRC Honda
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