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Category: Superbikes

  1. SPRINT RACE “MARQUEZCLASS” PERFORMANCE IN FRANCE

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    From 13th on the grid to 2nd at the line with an Usain Bolt-worthy start out of the blocks. These few words would be enough to describe Marc Marquez’s Saturday afternoon performance, undoubtedly a spectacular one in spite of his worst qualifying result of the season so far. 
     
    Nine positions recovered in less than a lap and then a great pace that allowed him to cross the line only two seconds away from sprint race winner Martín (who started from pole position). Nine key points bagged today for the championship standings, with the #93 still sixth but only seven points away from Bastianini in second. 
     
    Alex Marquez was 14th at the finish line. His Saturday cannot be considered a fully negative one with the Spaniard who managed to find both confidence and pace in the morning, two crucial aspects that can make the difference ahead of tomorrow’ 27-lap encounter. 

    2nd - MARC MARQUEZ #93
    “That was literally the perfect start; I did well and was also lucky as I found the right space to dive in and kept the right speed. I got almost sandwiched between Bagnaia and Bastianini, but I got out of it with good speed. The thing I’m happy the most for was the pace we found in the 10-11 laps since I moved out to fourth. Tomorrow it’s going to be very challenging, and you never know how it’s going to end should it rain. Still, I’ll sleep soundly tonight.”
     
    14th - ALEX MARQUEZ #73
    “We haven’t performed at our best, but it’s not all negative. We found back a good feeling today aboard the bike and our pace was strong also in the sprint race. Obviously how qualifying went surely affected our race, but on the 27-lap distance we can surely aim at something positive.”

     

  2. UNDERWHELMING FRIDAY AT LE MANS FOR TEAM GRESINI MOTOGP

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    The outcome of this morning’s FP1 at Le Mans had created a very different degree of expectations for Marc and Alex Marquez, who in the end could not finish Practice higher than 13th and 19th, respectively. An afternoon characterised by high temperatures that saw a crash (for the #93) and a bit too many yellow flag situations did not help in what was extremely competitive session, with the top-12 lapping under the 1’31s barrier. 
     
    For the first time in the season, both standard bearers of Team Gresini Racing MotoGP will be forced to tackle Q1 tomorrow from 10:50 local time (GMT +2). 

    13th - MARC MARQUEZ #93 (1’31.097s)
    “I never felt comfortable in the afternoon set-up wise, and we need to react quickly. I’m not really fond of Q1 and it’s going to be a key but also complicated session. Unfortunately I got a yellow flag during my quick lap attempt and then made a mistake at the last second. We went in the wrong direction with the set-up so there’s a lot of work to do to be competitive tomorrow.”
     
    19th - ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (1’31.530s)
    “I managed to only do one time attack. We tried some adjustments that we working well this morning, but not as much in the afternoon. We need to make a step back, I had an idea set-up wise that I thought could have helped, but it turned out not to be. There’s margin to do well, but we need a bike that is not as nervous. Q1 is a complicated session and it’ll be even more challenging tomorrow with so many fast riders.”

     

  3. ASTRA OTOPARTS GRESINI MOTOGP SIGN A NEW, TWO-YEAR AGREEMENT

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    A new, two-year partnership extension see Astra Otoparts and Gresini Racing continue their journey together. The Indonesian giant bets once again on the Gresini MotoGP project and in 2024 will be alongside Alex and Marc Marquez in a season that has already shown great potential for the two light-blue dressed brothers. 
     
    Astra Otoparts top brand Aspira will be on display in all the main elements of Team Gresini MotoGP: from the bike to the riders’ leathers, team uniforms, pit-box panels, team trucks and MotoGP hospitality.
     
    A leading institution in the production and distribution of automotive spare parts, Astra Otoparts continue to contribute to the strengthening of the relations between Gresini and Indonesia, which is in all ways a second home for the Faenza-based team. 

    TUJUH MARTOGI SIAHAAN – DIRECTOR ASTRA OTOPARTS - "It’s an honour for us to be able to announce the extension of the partnership with Gresini Racing MotoGP for this season and the next one. We only wish for a further strengthening of the partnership between one of Astra’s top brands in the automotive industry, Aspira, and Gresini. I believe this new stellar line up made by the Marquez brothers makes this season a very interesting one and we expect to see a great story to be told in MotoGP. Indonesian people love Marquez for his incredible performance and this positivity will reflect also in our collaboration.”

    CARLO MERLINI – GRESINI RACING COMMERCIAL & MARKETING DIRECTOR - “13 years together. What is a historical partnership will continue for at least another two years, until the end of 2025, and I’m extremely happy about it. We share a lot with Astra Motoparts and will continue to do so by raising the bar of our share goals a bit further up. We started the season among the protagonists, and we intend to do so until the final round in Valencia. We continue to grow together and a thank you goes to the whole Astra Family, which is in all ways an integral part of the #GresiniFamily.”

  4. PANDEMONIUM IN JEREZ AS MARC NARROWLY MISSES OUT ON RACE WIN AND ALEX IS FOURTH

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    Some Sundays are difficult to forget. At the same place where four years prior his nightmare began, Marc Marquez is back on the podium at Jerez de la Frontera after narrowly missing out on the race win in the last laps. The 20 points scored today catapult the #93 up to sixth place, 32 points in arrears of leader Martin.

    It was a very solid performance also for Alex Marquez, fourth at the line at the end of a good battle with Binder. It was a weekend among the protagonists for the #73, who was close to podium positions also yesterday.

    2nd - MARC MARQUEZ #93
    “I rode even too conservatively in the first five laps. Yesterday’s crash played a part and I wanted to make sure I made it to the finish line. Then I saw the chance to win and I gave it a try. Pecco defended the position strongly and it was good this way. Now winning is not a dream anymore, so let’s enjoy this return to speed and to podium ways.”

    4th – ALEX MARQUEZ #73
    “It was a positive weekend, and we did very well today despite a small problem with the front brake. We have an important test tomorrow so we must stay focused!”

  5. THE SUN SHINES ON TEAM GRESINI MOTOGP’S FRIDAY AT JEREZ

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    #SpanishGP The weekend has started on the right foot for Marc and Alex Marquez at their home track in Jerez de la Frontera. The only ‘tiny cloud’ in this sunny (albeit not too hot) day was the crash by the #73 halfway through the second session, from which he escaped uninjured. The recently turned 28-year-old was able to return to the pits and then finish the session in 10th place.
     
    Things did not go as hoped, especially in light of the morning’s quickest time, but it was enough to secure the direct seed to Q2, a session that will also feature his brother Marc Marquez for the fourth consecutive time as the #93 was third overall in practice. The eight-time world champion was likely the fastest in sectors one and three, while there is still work to be done in the other two in order to battle for top positions. 

    3rd - MARC MARQUEZ #93
    “We worked on the base set-up from the previous GP and things went well straight away. I struggled a bit more with the wind in the afternoon but I can say we’re in a good place, even though so many riders are fast, too. We’re losing a bit at turn five and in the final sector but one thing is for sure: the adaptation process with the Ducati machine is over, now it is time to do some fine tuning in order to race with the best. We keep working session after session and qualifying is next.”
     
    10th - ALEX MARQUEZ #73
    “Too bad for the afternoon crash and especially for the traffic encountered during the time attack, otherwise we would have been much higher in the practice timesheets. We needed to recover the feeling and the confidence, and we did it. To be racing in front of the home crowd obviously helps in being fast straight away from the morning. We need to be as close as we can to the front of the grid because it’s not easy to overtake here, so our full focus is now on tomorrow’s qualifying.”