Marc Marquez nearly didn't finish the Austrian MotoGP. The Ducati rider admitted he considered pulling into the pits due to severe brake issues. Despite finishing fifth, he called the result a huge stroke of luck.
Starting from the front row, Marquez immediately lost positions. He dropped from second to fifth, even being passed by teammate Francesco Bagnaia. After re-passing Ai Ogura for fourth, he ran off track on lap nine, dropping to seventh.
In the closing stages, Marquez managed to pass Brad Binder and Fermin Aldeguer to finish fifth as the top Ducati. However, he was over seven seconds behind winner Pedro Acosta (KTM). “We were struggling more than other weekends, but we were there. The problem is that in the first part of the race I had many, many problems with the front brake,” said Marquez.
The reigning world champion explained that the front lever was inconsistent. “Every brake point was different. When I made the mistake in Turn 1, I braked and it was empty; there was nothing there. That's why I went super wide,” he added. He admitted he was very lucky because at one point he thought he couldn't continue.
“We were very lucky, because at one point of the race, I thought, ‘OK, I cannot continue’. But then, the brakes started to work from one lap to the next. I started to be faster again and gained some positions, but obviously it was too late,” he explained. Marquez stressed that the brake issue is visible in the data, so the team can analyse and find a solution for the future.
The exact cause is still unknown. Marquez said the usual shaking problem at Turns 7-8 was absent, and Brembo had worked hard. “We had a big issue. For that reason, in the first lap, I was not hard on the brake points. I was just trying to understand where the front lever was at every brake point, and then I was losing a lot there,” he said.
Marquez also noted that on Saturday, he identified Michelin's stiffer rear tyre carcass as the main reason for Ducati's lack of pace at the Red Bull Ring. That special tyre is only used at Buriram, Goiania, and Mandalika. With this result, Marquez remains grateful for fifth, though he believes his maximum was second or third.
Read Also
Marc Marquez explains front brake problems that led to a fifth-place finish at the Austrian GP. He believes he could have finished second or third without the issue.
Pedro Acosta finally wins Austrian MotoGP after 56 starts, beating Jorge Martin to end his long wait at KTM's home race.
Pedro Acosta finally secures his first MotoGP win after over 1000 days. Responds to Jorge Lorenzo's praise and reveals keys to success at home GP.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!