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MotoGP Sepang: Marquez concedes to ‘fastest guy’ Vinales

MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez conceded that Malaysian Grand Prix race winner was ‘the fastest guy’ after the Yamaha man got revenge for Phillip Island in Sepang.

After a qualifying crash, Marquez was left to start the race from down on the fourth row in eleventh place. Despite the lowly starting position, Marquez had a perfect start and within a lap and a half was up to third place. A couple of laps later he was up to second, but Vinales had a second lead, something Marquez wasn’t able to bridge.

“Very happy for my race, happy for my brother of course,” said the 26-year-old.

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“But first lap was incredible, not only for me, but also Dovi. Dovi did an incredible start, was like a rocket from the left of the grid. Then on the first corner I did a good move and then I was just pushing.

“I was looking for Vinales as I knew he had the best pace. I knew that if I catch him, I would be with him, like in Phillip Island. But in two laps I lose too much time with Jack and he opened that second. I tried, but he was faster. When he is faster it is impossible to reduce the gap, today he was the fastest guy in the track.

“Then I say okay, you’ve done the most difficult now just try to finish the race. I was pushing and in part of the race I was catching him, but then I did a big mistake in turn seven and eight I went out of the track and came in again.

“Apart from that, happy. It’s the worst result of the year in second place, but we start from eleventh and we cannot forget normally here we struggle a lot.”

Marquez’ crash in qualifying saw the Spaniard thrown viciously over his RC213V, landing on his knees before face planting the floor. Marquez said that he felt sore when he got out of bed, but that his celebrations with younger Alex who claimed the Moto2 title 45 minutes earlier actually made things worse.

“Today when I get up in bed, I feel painful everywhere,” he said.

“I was much better before the celebration of my brother. There I forget about my knees and my right hand.

“I had arm pump in the race, because the power maybe was not the same, but it’s not an excuse. When I am riding the bike, I switch off everything. My brothers’ gift was extra motivation, I need to finish on the podium as tonight will be a long night.

“Apart from that, today is an emotional day, we lost Afridza Munandar, who is a young talent. I knew him as he is from Honda, we cannot forget that everybody here knows the risk we get on track.

“But we take that risk for that sweet moment and to achieve our goals. So today we are enjoying for him. He was looking for these moments, he was pushing, riding for his passion and will always be one of the most special riders.”

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Marquez was also asked for a few words about his brother Alex, who became the first rider to secure the Moto3 and the Moto2 titles.

“I am so proud of my brother. I am proud of him because it’s so difficult to be the brother of...,” he said.

“The pressure that he gets, I mean he started in Moto2 with not so good feeling, but the team believe in him and in the end, he arrives, but it’s not easy to be the brother of.

“Honestly, social media is sometimes good and sometimes hard. Then I said to him, what are you doing, don’t check the social media, keep pushing, keep going. Believe in you, you are the same Alex that is World Champion in Moto3, you’re the same Alex that win four races in a row. Then today he did a champion race. He is not the brother of, he is Alex Marquez.”

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