Alex Márquez, the Gresini Ducati rider, topped the pre-qualifying session held at Motegi on the first day of the Japanese Grand Prix, breaking the track record. The Spanish rider stated that he achieved a fast pace without pushing the motorcycle to its limit. Alex Márquez made a strong performance on the first day of the Japanese Grand Prix at the Motegi track, securing the top spot in the pre-qualifying session and also setting a new track record.
The Naturalness of the Performance
Alex Márquez stated that he felt very comfortable on the motorcycle and that he was accelerating quickly. Despite this performance, the rider said that more development was needed for Saturday.
It went quite well. From the first moment, I could use the motorcycle well and everything came naturally. I did not have to push it, and that is a good thing.
Proximity of the Competition
Alex Márquez stated that the races at Motegi are very close to each other and that even small differences can create significant changes in the standings.
We need more development tomorrow. We are all very close to each other, and one small difference can make a big difference in the standings. I felt good in terms of lap time and race pace. Marc was very fast on the middle rear tire.
The Importance of Tire Choice
Márquez stated that it is difficult to draw a definitive conclusion about how the race will unfold on Sunday, mentioning that Pedro Acosta was running on softer tires, while his brother Marc Márquez was on a medium tire.
Pedro ran on softer tires, and Marc on a medium tire. It is always difficult to draw a conclusion about how the race will go on Sunday. I have a good pace, but one mistake in qualifying could make everything more difficult.
Strategy for a Long Race
The Gresini rider stated that he would try the soft tire in the morning for a long race to determine the best option.
Today I ran on the medium tire. I will try the soft tire tomorrow. We need to understand which one is better for a long race.
The Advantage of the New Asphalt
Márquez expressed positive thoughts about the worn asphalt at Motegi, saying that the grip on the front end performed better when braking the motorcycle. Furthermore, the rider added that high grip levels contained certain dangers.
It helped me. I can stop the motorcycle much better, and the front grip is good. I will try to develop more tomorrow, but it is not easy to work with such high grip. The front is demanding, and you can easily fall.
Alex Márquez claims that he gained a significant advantage for Sunday by taking the lead after the first day at Motegi. He believes that his tire choice and qualifying performance will be decisive for the rest of the weekend.
Statistics
- Alex Márquez is ranked 8th with 158 points in the 2026 MotoGP season (Gresini Racing).
- Archive: He said he understood the physical challenges of Marc Márquez Pedrosa better (October 1, 2026)
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Go to sourceCompiled by Şükrü Utku Poyraz
