Marquez returns to Balaton “Marc”
After having faced the Mugello weekend with determination, the first real test after the double surgery, Marc Marquez looks to the next event in Hungary with greater optimism. He does so in the knowledge that at this moment the Aprilia package is stronger, and not only because of the physical condition of the world champion.
The goal is to completely regain the feeling with the Ducati GP26 and return to performing at the highest levels on a circuit – Balaton Park – which represents a special place: in 2025 he was the absolute protagonist, conquering pole position, track record, victory in the Sprint and victory in the GP. Performances with which the Hungarian track was jokingly renamed “Balaton Marc” by Ducati.
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Marquez’s words
In the Hungarian GP press conference, Marquez explained his goals for the weekend both physically and in terms of performance: “Certainly Mugello was a tough weekend, but we approached it well, especially from a mental point of view. I simply tried to ride as I felt I could and we will try to do the same this weekend. It’s a bit early to be at the top, in three days you don’t feel a big change. I believe, but above all I hope, to make a step forward physically between Balaton and Brno. I know it will take time to truly improve, it will take several weeks to regain confidence on the bike and physical condition. The first problem is with the nerves, because they are connected to the muscles. I felt that several muscles that didn’t work well before Mugello worked differently at Mugello, it will still take time. In general, the back of the body works quite well, but the front of the shoulder, the collarbone, and the biceps have room for improvement. The part I need to improve the most is the one injured in Indonesia“.
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“Winning here again, honestly, is not a realistic expectation. If I find myself fighting for those positions, it means that others are doing something wrong. Bezzecchi, Martin and many other riders are currently ahead of me and are much faster right now,” he added. “Martin says I’m the rider to beat? Absolutely not. The ones to beat are the two Aprilias. The battle will be quite interesting from now on, because both are very fast, Martin knows very well what it means to be world champion, but I see that Marco is riding well and is the rider who tends to be the fastest and most consistent over the weekend. I will try to be as close as possible to them, but I think it’s impossible to win”.
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