Marquez hopes to continue winning run on Rossi’s turf

AFP/Mugello, Italy

Marquez, who became the youngest ever world champion aged just 20 last season, has won all five of this year’s Grand Prix, despite suffering a broken leg which forced him to miss some pre-season test events.

A week ago, the Spaniard became the first driver to win the first five races of a championship since Giacomo Agostini in 1972 after coming back from 10th place on the first lap to claim victory in France.

The 21-year-old currently sits top of the championship table, 42 points clear of his team-mate Dani Pedrosa with Valentino Rossi a further two points back in third, but Marquez is expecting a tough battle from the Italian when they race at the seven-time former world champion’s home Grand Prix at Mugello this weekend. 

“In these five races I had the level, but I think in Mugello Valentino will be 22 years old again! He will again be so fast and will push a lot,” said Marquez.

“Of course now we are in a very good moment, but we cannot forget we are in the best championship with the best riders. It looks easy from the outside, but inside the pit box we know how we need to work and we push a lot every practice.”

Marquez suffered his only fall of last year’s championship in Italy last year in a race that Rossi has dominated for large parts of this century. The Italian was unbeaten at his home race for seven years from 2002, and doesn’t see Marquez’s current form as a “big problem” for him personally.

Marquez posted his fastest time on lap 17 of 19 in FP1 yesterday, placing him in first position for the day. Teammate Dani Pedrosa recorded his fastest lap of 1’49.203, leaving him 11th.

FP2 then saw rain threaten for the entire session, as light spots sporadically fell resulting in only a few riders venturing out on track. Both Marquez and Pedrosa remained in the pits as the times were far off those of FP1.

Marquez commented, “I began with a few questions on my mind after last year - when this track was one of those that I found most difficult - and I saw that things have changed completely after a year of experience. I felt very comfortable on the bike, there was a big difference compared to last year. I’m feeling much better about things and we hope to continue improving.”

“The morning went well and the feeling was good, but in the afternoon we didn’t go out as it was raining on-and-off and the surface was neither fit for dry riding nor wet tyres,” he added.