Marc Marquez explains the key reason behind the Thailand ‘bug’

Marc Marquez’s MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix was an example of what could have happened, as he showed great speed in the first half of the race before falling from second place.

Marquez battled Francesco Bagnaia for the opening laps of the race and tried to overtake him twice in turn 12 before finally falling on lap 14, in turn eight.

As for Marquez, there was no doubt about his potential to win, but he felt he should have been more willing to bide his time rather than try to rush ahead of eventual winner Bagnaia.

“We were the fastest today,” Marquez said, “but now, two or three hours after the race, maybe we weren’t patient enough at this point in the race.

“It’s true that it was very difficult because I wasn’t able to clearly overtake (Francesco) Bagnai.

“I always planned to overtake very clearly because I had the speed and I said, ‘We’ll have more chances.’

“I always tried to press, attack; then, when this was no longer possible, cool the front tire, (then) attack again.

“During the race I always rode a bit ‘flexibly’ and during the second attack I noticed that I was much faster.

“I tried not to give up and follow him, but just a degree and a half more in that corner (turn eight) and I lose the front and I couldn’t defend – it was very close.

“We are human, we make mistakes and today it was my turn.”

Marquez said his only chance to overtake Bagnaia was in Turn 12, the final corner. The Buriram circuit has a number of heavy braking zones – particularly in the first half of the lap, at turns three and four – but Turn 12 was the only one where Marquez could be close enough to attack. because where turns three and four come after long straights, turn 12 comes after a series of slow corners.

Bagnaia’s traction coming out of turn 12 and one meant that overtaking into turn three was impossible for Marquez, and Bagnaia had more traction coming out of turn three, leaving turn four similarly out of reach.

“For all the other braking points, I came too late and too far,” Marquez said.

“In that turn 12 we were coming back from the slow corners and there I had a better feeling and I caught him a lot, and that was the first really strong braking point (after the slow corners).

“On this lap (14), I was already thinking about the last corner to attack well, but it didn’t happen.

“I always planned to learn how to overtake.

“Of course, just like yesterday, I was losing a lot in the first and second sectors, but then in the third and fourth sectors I was faster than him.

“So a bit like yesterday, but today (…) it was harder to overtake.”

Difference of GP23 and GP24

Marquez explained that while the Ducati Desmosedici GP24 is a step up from the GP23 he is riding in some areas this year, the bike did not hold him back from victory in Thailand.

“GP24 is a strong evolution in some areas,” said Marquez, “but I don’t ride (GP24) and certainly my GP23 bike today was ready to win, I felt good.

“It’s true that, as we know, the longer we use the rear (ride height) device on the track, the more it differs (between GP23 and GP24) because there has been a slight upgrade there.

“But that’s good because next year I’ll have it.”

Finally, Marquez could be optimistic about the race due to the pace he had after the accident, even though he lost his rear brake in the incident.