PARIS: Marc Marquez will be at home in every sense this weekend in Aragon as he seeks to close in on a sixth MotoGP world title.
The race is the third of four on the calendar in Marquez’s native Spain with Jerez, Catalunya and Valencia also on the roster.
Tomorrow’s race is held at the Aragon Motorland, 160km from his home town of Cervera, a community of 25,000 to which the 26-year-old Marquez and his motorcycling brother Alex are very much attached.
The 5.077km circuit has always smiled on the Honda rider who has won there the last three seasons.
“I really feel like I am at home as it is so close to Cervera,” Marquez said. “It’s where the most people from my hometown come to watch and always the fans help to give me something extra.”
With six races to go, the Spaniard has a comfortable 93-point lead over his closest rival Andrea Dovizioso of Ducati.
Marquez won six of the opening 10 races but was beaten on the line by Dovizioso in Austria and by Alex Rins of Suzuki in Great Britain before bouncing back in Italy last Sunday.
Marquez passed French “rookie” Fabio Quartararo in the last lap at San Marino grand prix to win.
“After a fantastic win in Misano I am excited to race again,” said Marquez.
Quartararo, who rides for Yamaha satellite team SRT, led most of the race with Marquez on his wheel for about 20 laps, but the Frenchman could not hold on for a first MotoGP victory.
“Fighting with Marc at Misano means that I’m going to Aragon with a lot of confidence,” said the 20-year-old, the rising star of MotoGP, adding that he liked the course.
“The long straights aren’t too much of a problem for us, because we showed in Austria and at Misano that as long as you make a good start and five strong laps at the beginning you can be in the fight.” – AFP
