MotoGP championship leader Marc Marquez is downbeat over his chances of fighting for victory in Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix following a season-worst qualifying.
The Spaniard heads into the race with a 33-point lead over Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso and his first shot at securing a fourth MotoGP title.
Marquez struggled to find the right set-up for his Honda to suit the Sepang circuit through practice, but began to make headway in the final session – which he topped – just prior to qualifying.
However, he crashed his preferred RC213V at the final corner on his first flying lap and was resigned to his second bike for the rest of the Q2 shoot-out.
He lacked confidence to push on this bike and found himself down in seventh – just the second time in his premier class career he has qualified outside of the top two rows – while Dovizioso guided his Ducati to third.
“Of course (this circuit) is not one of the best tracks (for me) but it is true also that today everything was wrong,” Marquez told Autosport.com.
“We went right, it was not the correct direction. Then we went left, but was too late. So everything was difficult, going the opposite way.
“In FP4 I started to feel again the (good) feeling with the bike, but the thing is when I went out in Q2, I went out with that bike, I crashed.
“Also I did a not good lap, and for that reason we are seventh.
“Honestly speaking we don’t have the rhythm to win the race at the moment, but we have the rhythm I think to fight for the podium.”
Marquez theorised that his problems at Sepang stem from the incredibly high track temperatures working against his aggressive riding style, and is looking towards team-mate Dani Pedrosa – who starts on pole – for ideas on how to take a smoother approach.
“What makes it difficult? Maybe the hot conditions, maybe because you need to ride very smooth and I’m an aggressive rider,” he said.
“I try to concentrate to be smoother, but it’s quite difficult. Also the speed of our bike on the straight is not the best one.
“You can say Dani has the same bike, but Dani in some circuits have some difficulties, he is struggling much more than me.
“For example, at this circuit, for his riding style, his weight on the straights, he is able to be very fast every year.
“I will try to learn from him because he is riding very well.”
