Reigning MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez  said the finger he broke one week before the Jerez MotoGP round was no excuse for not winning in Spain today, Jorge Lorenzo was simply faster than anything the Repsol Honda package could muster.

Marquez was on a damage limitation exercise during Sunday’s race but still managed to come away with 20 points and close the gap to Valentino Rossi at the op of the table even though The Doctor extended it over second-placed Andrea Dovizioso (see page 25).
“Of course I try to win but when I was behind Jorge and saw the way he was riding, I say OK today is the day for Jorge, my place is second. On lap six or seven, my finger was OK but I am using my right arm, then I had some arm-pump problems, which I had to manage,” said Marquez.

“Then I saw Valentino was catching, so I was pushing again and I saw he was sruggling to reduce the gap and in the gap I was able to keep it. I am happy because it is only the small finger but on the brakes and acceleration it was disturbing me.”

Because the broken finger meant Marquez had less power in his left hand, he was overcompensating with the right, a problem he pointed out after qualifying and his prediction came true with arm-pump setting in during the race.

“The power in the left hand was not the same, so I was using more my right arm, and it was the question mark for me. This is why I didn’t make many laps over the weekend, I needed the right arm to be in good condition. I sw that if I ride aggressively like always, I was getting more tired but in the end today, the finger is no excuse, Jorge was faster than us.”