Marc Marquez: "They gave me a second life

Marc Marquez returns from the summer break with optimism after three victories in the last four Grands Prix. The reigning MotoGP champion wants to defend his world crown and reach ten titles, but the road to Valencia is still long. And he has to reckon with the condition of his right arm, coming off years of surgeries and crashes.

With the summer break over, it's time to get back into action. The Ducati rider treated himself to a vacation after a double win at the Sachsenring, his lucky circuit. This result propelled him to third place in the standings, firmly in the fight for the lead, currently in the hands of Jorge Martin. Eleven races still to go, the top five covered by just 24 points. "I'm the favorite," Marc Marquez said with a laugh to a group of journalists. "I gave you the headline, huh? I also said that another title won't change my life, but it will change others'."

At the start of this MotoGP season, the Aprilia riders seemed favored, but over the last four races the situation has almost flipped. Now Marquez is within a whisker of the top, going from -102 to -18. "I was given a second chance, a second life, because I was completely out of the game," admitted the Cervera phenomenon. "We'll try to make the most of it and fight to the end, I won't deny it. We'll try to manage situations in the best possible way, with the same ambition. That said, I'll go for it, but winning another World Championship won't change my life."

Everyone wants to know how Marc is doing, dealing with the usual shoulder issues, especially after the crash at Le Mans and the subsequent arm surgery. The #93’s progression will depend entirely on his physical limits, and the summer break was used to train and regain strength. "The break helped me realize it's a different shoulder. It's not the same shoulder as last year, it's not the same shoulder as at the start of the season. It's a different shoulder and, once again, I have to adapt to what my body tells me. Adapt my riding style to what my body requires. It's not the first time I've done it, and we'll try to manage every situation. We're not yet ready to attack at every circuit."

Usually the MotoGP title race has been a matter for two riders. This season there are five contenders for the world crown. An unusual situation for Marc Marquez... "You always prefer to have two, because that way you always have someone to keep in check," concluded the nine-time world champion. "When there are five riders in the mix, there's no room for management. You have to attack, you have to make the most of every circuit because you're sure to gain or lose a position against one of the title rivals."

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