---
title: "Marquez happy with second"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2016/10/15/marquez-happy-second/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Lewis Duncan"
section: "MotoGP News"
published: "2016-10-15T15:21:46Z"
modified: "2016-10-15T15:23:39Z"
---

# Marquez happy with second

Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez says he is content with second on the grid for tomorrow’s 24-lap Japanese Grand Prix from the Twin Ring Motegi, admitting that he expected to struggle more.

The Spaniard marked this race as one where he would want to lose as few points as possible, the Twin Ring circuit’s numerous low-gear acceleration points potentially causing issues for the RC213V’s poor acceleration. However, the Spaniard has been by far and away the class of the field this weekend, his bike seemingly well-suited to Motegi now. Marquez ended Friday fourth on the combined times and headed into qualifying fastest by just under four hundredths of a second.

Marquez, as per usual, came out of the blocks swinging when QP2 got underway, the Honda rider immediately going top with a 1m44.617s. He improved by half a second on his next flying lap and was beginning to look untouchable in qualifying.

However, the rest of the field upped their pace in the closing minutes and Marquez’ time came under threat. Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi was the man to depose the Spaniard at the top of the pile, Marquez unable to respond after running wide at Turn 11. With just one lap left, it was all or nothing for Marquez, and he tripped the timing beam in sector one fastest of all. However, a crash for Cal Crutchlow at Turn 5 brought out the yellow flags and that forced the Spaniard to back off to avoid a repeat of his Aragon misdemeanour.

> Twitter: “I felt strong in the quali but I made a mistake…” – #MM93
>
> \#JapaneseGP https://t.co/X1YqhueHGu (@MotoGP)

Despite missing out on pole position, Marquez still looks like the man to beat tomorrow. In FP4, he was the only rider lapping in the low 1m45s bracket consistently and has been running that sort of pace in all of his long runs this weekend. It’s likely he won’t win the title tomorrow, but there’s a good chance he’ll put one hand on the trophy before heading to Phillip Island next week.

“Getting pole would’ve been the best thing for a Saturday, but I’m happy with second place because this circuit is one at which I had expected to struggle a bit more,” Marquez said.

“As it turns out, we’re doing pretty well and have ridden at a good pace throughout the weekend. This afternoon the first run went well enough, but when I took my second bike out I made a small mistake at turn 11 during the first flying lap. I had a last possibility to try to improve but I saw the yellow flag where Crutchlow had just crashed and I slowed down.”