MotoGP Motegi: Alex Marquez to make premier-class debut at Japanese track

LCR Honda’s Alex Marquez will make his debut in the MotoGP class at Motegi this weekend but will have to contend with one less practice as the bike will not arrive in time.

Even though the Spaniard has taken three support-class wins at the Japanese track, injury and the pandemic have prevented Marquez from racing a big bike there.

“First of all, I should be better than I was in last Sunday’s race after my big crash in warm-up. I already feel a bit better, although I still have some pain in my left hand, but I think it will recover well,” said Marquez.

“Like always we need to be 100 per cent focused, because it looks like the weather forecast says it could rain, so it will be an interesting weekend. It’s also a special weekend because we have only one practice session on Friday – I’ve never ridden a MotoGP bike at Motegi, so I will be a bit of a rookie there.

“We will do our best and keep going because at the races after the summer break I’ve had quite a good rhythm – keep believing, keep doing our best and keep working with the team.”

All the MotoGP freight which left Aragon will not turn up at the track in time for the usual free practice one so the first time they will roll down pitlane will be Friday afternoon. Free practice four has been scrapped.