Marc Márquez revealed that a persistent problem with his brakes caused him to crash from the lead during the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas. Márquez, who has claimed six victories at COTA throughout his MotoGP career, had just overtaken Pedro Acosta to take the lead when he lost control of his bike in the heavy braking zone of Turn 11.
Initially, the incident appeared to be the result of Márquez entering the corner at too high a speed, and while that was partially true, Márquez explained that the main cause was his front brake failing to respond. He expressed disappointment, stating that despite the braking issues, he had the speed and feeling necessary to perform well in the race. However, the front brake problem persisted throughout the race, making it difficult for him to ride.
Márquez tried to correct the issue by leading the race as quickly as possible, hoping that the change in temperature might improve the brake performance. Unfortunately, when he reached Turn 11 and applied the brakes, they did not work, causing him to lose control and crash. Although the second braking attempt was better, Márquez was still at too high a speed, resulting in loss of control.
The front brake problem dominated Márquez’s race, forcing him to push harder to get to the front of the pack. He mentioned that he had to apply the brakes two or three times on each lap at the end of the back straight. The unpredictable nature of the brake performance was a constant concern for Márquez and, in the end, led to the result he feared – a crash.
Márquez cryptically referred to this experience as “normal for a new project.” Although he may be new to the team, Gresini has been racing with Ducatis since 2021, and the 2023-spec Ducati he is currently riding has already proven its worth on the track. However, it has faced reliability issues at the start of the season, as evidenced by Fabio Di Giannantonio’s engine failure the day before.
Márquez acknowledged that they encountered a problem, but expressed confidence in the team’s ability to find a solution. He believes the team is quick and capable of resolving the issues they faced during the race, ensuring a better result in the future.
While Márquez believes he could have had the pace to win, he emphasized that the tire choice was aimed at securing a place on the podium. Like his fellow Ducati riders, he opted for the soft rear tire, while the race ended with medium rear tires in first and second place, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia) and Pedro Acosta (Tech3 Gas Gas).
Márquez explained that he initially considered choosing the medium tire, but ultimately opted for the soft tire due to its higher speed compared to the Ducatis. His tire choice was made with the podium in mind, rather than aiming for the win.
