Marquez: 'If Quartararo crashes into me, I'll understand' - The Race

Six-time MotoGP satellite champion Marc Marquez has admitted that if helium gets shoved retired of the mode successful Sunday’s last contention of the twelvemonth astatine the Valencian Grand Prix by defending satellite champion Fabio Quartararo, he’ll recognize the Yamaha rider’s motives.

Marquez volition commencement the contention astatine the Ricardo Tormo circuit only 1 enactment of the grid up of Quartararo, with the Spaniard’s Honda 2nd (sandwiched by the Ducatis of Jorge Martin and Jack Miller) and with his French rival backmost successful 4th – and portion he’s expecting a messy and chaotic commencement to the race, Marquez besides admitted that helium won’t beryllium aggravated if Quartararo gets a small spot excessively excited successful the aboriginal laps.

With triumph a indispensable if Quartararo is to person immoderate accidental of overhauling Pecco Bagnaia and with Valencia not being a precise overtaking-friendly circuit astatine all, it means that Quartararo’s lone realistic strategy is immoderate assertive opening laps to the contention – thing he’s already alluded to being consenting to do.

And should Marquez gets caught up successful Quartararo’s aggression, he’s prepared to instrumentality it connected the chin.

“I cognize that Fabio time volition propulsion a lot,” Marquez admitted successful the post-qualifying property conference, “and helium has to push. If helium crashes and hits different rider – if helium hits maine – I volition understand.

“I don’t privation him to! But I volition recognize it, due to the fact that he’s playing for a satellite championship, not for a race. I cognize that he’s smart, but helium indispensable bash what helium has to do.

“He’ll bash the close thing, to attack. Everyone volition attack, and particularly the Ducati riders volition onslaught much due to the fact that that’s the champion mode to assistance the person that is Pecco. I privation to bash a bully contention arsenic well, and for maine it’s different race, but successful the extremity the 2 guys are Pecco and Fabio, and everyone volition wage attraction to these 2 guys tomorrow.”

That expected aggressiveness from the defending champion doesn’t travel without owed reason, either, according to Marquez, who believes that Quartararo’s chances person been boosted by however his play has played out.

“If I’m successful the presumption of Fabio,” Marquez explained, “then connected Thursday I would person seen everything acheronian but present it would beryllium much clear, shinier, due to the fact that you don’t know. Pecco starts successful eighth position, and successful the mediate [of the pack] you ne'er know.

“He [Quartararo] started FP1 successful a large way, afloat attack, and past helium arrived to the bounds of the bike. The others started to get measurement by step, and erstwhile Ducati riders arrive, they person thing more.

“But it’s existent that if I’m successful Fabio’s presumption I’d accidental ‘eh, maybe.’ It’s precise difficult, but ‘maybe’.

“If Pecco was starting connected the beforehand row, it would beryllium truly dark, but present helium tin person immoderate options.”