Repsol Honda Team rider Marc Marquez has highlighted the Japanese Grand Prix from the TwinRing Motegi as a race for ‘giving up as few points as possible’ as the 2016 championship nears its conclusion.
The Spaniard demolished the competition last time out in Aragon, qualifying on pole by over six tenths of a second and cruising to his first win on home soil for nearly two years. With nearest rival Valentino Rossi third, Marquez extended his advantage in the standings to 52 points, and there are just 100 more available in 2016. That means that Marquez can in fact secure his third premier class crown in Japan, though he would need to win the race and hope that Rossi is 15th or lower while Jorge Lorenzo is fourth or lower.
Marquez has tasted success before at Motegi. He won the 125cc race in 2010 and again two years later in the Moto2 class. However, aside from the Red Bull Ring, a win in at Motegi in the premier class still eludes the four-time World Champion, though he has finished on the rostrum twice and clinched his second MotoGP world title at the circuit in 2014.
There’s every possibility that Marquez could change his fortunes in Japan this weekend, but he remains cautious over his predictions. Whilst he cited Aragon pre-season as a race he knew he could win, the Japanese Grand Prix has been marked as a damage limitation race for the Spaniard. The Twin Ring circuit features many low-gear acceleration zones, an area the 2016 RC213V has proven difficult in. Though HRC have been able to improve the bike’s acceleration over recent races, it’s still not perfect.
It’s also highly likely we’ll see both Yamaha and Ducati running well at Motegi, both manufacturers winning four apiece in the modern era. Marquez will again have to keep an eye on his teammate Dani Pedrosa, who won last year’s race in supreme fashion and is also the most successful rider at the Japanese circuit, the Spaniard tallying up five wins at the track in his career.
So Japan looks set to be one of Marquez’ toughest races of the season, but he remains open-minded and still has his sights set on a top result.
“The triple-header always marks a demanding period in the season because there are three races in a row in different time zones and different conditions, so we must handle them calmly and with the same mindset we have kept throughout the season,” Marquez said.
“The Japanese Grand Prix is an important appointment for us as it is Honda’s home race and one where we have great memories, as we clinched the title in 2014. On the other hand, it’s a circuit that has always been a bit challenging for us. So, for example, if Aragon was a track I marked for attacking, Motegi is one that I marked for giving up as few points as possible. That sad, we’ll approach it with an open mentality, aiming for the best result possible but ready to adapt to the circumstances.”
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