MotoGP: Marquez set for ‘very different’ track at Le Mans

Reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez says he’s set for a very different type of circuit this weekend as the series heads to Le Mans for the French Grand Prix, thanks to the unusual nature of one of the season’s shortest tracks.

Marquez goes into the weekend in a good position after taking a strong second place last time out in Jerez to teammate Dani Pedrosa, boosting his championship standings as the championship moves north to France and the resurfaced track.

“Le Mans is particular and different from many other layouts of the Championship. It’s a really narrow, short track with a lot of stop-and-go corners. To make an example, it’s the opposite of the Montmeló circuit, but still quite enjoyable. The surface is new and we’ll discover it on Friday morning.

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“The grip should be better and that’s positive for us riders and also for the fans as it means a better show. We must wait and see how it goes there—this year it’s even more difficult to make any predictions. We just have to continue like we’ve done in the last races, working hard, with the right mentality, because the Championship is once again very close.”

But while Pedrosa might have enjoyed a dominant win over his teammate last time out, the veteran Honda rider says he’s under no illusions that it’ll be as easy to repeat the feat this weekend in the notoriously difficult conditions in Northern France.

“After a great weekend in Jerez we now head to Le Mans in a very positive mood. The French GP is always challenging. To begin with the weather is usually quite changeable which makes it difficult to find rhythm in the practice sessions or to plan how to improve run by run as it may be too cold or the total opposite, very hot.

“The track itself is very short and the smallest differences in the lap times can make a great difference in the standings. I hope the bike works well on the new asphalt. You need good acceleration and good braking, but consistency is the real key. We are working well with the team and we’ll try to maintain the same level also there.”

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