Speculation about Alex and Marc Marquez: "Let me explain..."

Marc Marquez retakes the lead of the MotoGP standings with a double win at Misano. Another comeback with a hint of the incredible—just think that at Mugello he was 102 points off the top. The championship is still long; he doesn’t want to get carried away. But in front of Ducati’s superstar, it becomes impossible not to dream.

The Cervera phenomenon sweeps Misano and brings home 37 points—pure gold for the overall MotoGP standings. Second win in a row, fifth of the season. Everything goes smoothly also thanks to Bezzecchi’s crash, the rival who could have worried him the most this weekend. “On Saturday we won thanks to strategy, on Sunday by momentum. I think Marco had a great pace to win. But when you’re going that fast and that close to the limit all weekend, it’s easy to make a mistake.”

Seven races ago, after the Italian GP, Marc Marquez was a full 102 points off the top of the standings. Now he’s back as World Championship leader. He tries to play down his latest feat... “I got a gift from my rivals and I’ll try to make the most of it. But for me the most important thing is my mental state. I’m relaxed. The win in Aragon helped me a lot, what happened after Aragon helped me even more (showing a photo of his arm), and this weekend helped me too. That was my goal: to be mentally relaxed so I could push to the limit and keep trying until the end.”

Making up 102 points doesn’t mean a tenth career title is assured. Anything can still happen in the next eight races that lead to the end of this MotoGP season. “What I’ve done is difficult, and what lies ahead is just as difficult.” For his mental strength he should already be celebrated, for his ability to recover from injuries and adapt to the Ducati Desmosedici. Marc Marquez knocks on wood. “I could make a mistake next time too. The season is long; you’ve seen what happened over the last seven races. There are seven or eight left. If what happened in seven races happened, imagine what could happen in all the remaining ones.”

At the end of the Misano race, someone pointed out that he was talking to himself on the podium. “All athletes talk to themselves. I particularly liked the way I approached this weekend. I always learn something.” He gave it everything and was rewarded. “I try to get 100% out of the weekend without getting 100% out of every practice session. That’s called optimization, and I try to optimize to give my best and achieve 100% in qualifying, the Sprint, and the race.”

After the race, some raised doubts about the information Marc Marquez was getting from the pit board. At times, the team didn’t communicate the gap to his brother, but showed him the margin to third place. Some twisted minds might think the nine-time world champion was at ease knowing that Alex wouldn’t attack him.

“Before there’s any speculation, let me explain. Throughout my career, when I have two rivals behind me and the third is less than a second away, they show me his name. When he’s more than a second back, they show me the gap to another group so I can manage the situation. I think Alex had a great race, and just as we made things tough for Bezzecchi, today I made things tough for Alex.”

On the same wavelength were the statements from the Spanish Gresini rider. “No, let’s not start speculating about this because I don’t want to get into it and I don’t accept it,” said Alex Marquez. “They’re speculations, I know what you mean. I want to put an end to it because it didn’t go that way; I never had the chance to attack.”

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