MotoGP: Marquez still answering questions on Valencia during 2016 test
The MotoGP field has just concluded a two-day test at the Valencia circuit in preparation for the 2016 MotoGP World Championship, which was topped by Repsol Honda rider Marc Marquez.
But that hasn’t prevented Marquez from having to answer questions about the season-ending 2015 race on the same circuit.
Following disputes with Movistar Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi on and off the track in the build-up to the season finale, fans were curious as to whether Marquez would make any attempts to aid Lorenzo or hinder Rossi in order to help Lorenzo win the championship.
Marquez rode in second place behind Lorenzo for the entire race, with Lorenzo winning the race and the championship while Marquez finished second. Many have since wondered aloud as to whether Marquez intentionally acted as Lorenzo’s “bodyguard” during the race, as he fought off a challenge from his own Repsol Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa in the closing laps, which allowed Lorenzo to build up a gap.
Here’s what Marquez had to say on Tuesday:
“I honestly believe that within two or three months, when Valentino is at home without the stress of the championship, he will find a bit of everything. At the end I had a very clear conscience and this is a pretty important thing to help you sleep. In the end I have always given 100 percent and I have always tried in Phillip Island, in Japan and in Aragon to stay at the top.
“When I say that all will realize, I am referring to his last press conferences. In the end this has done more than anything on track; attacking both, making people believe things that are not true and that no other rider has expected him to say. Many people have believed him and I respect that, but in the end I continue, as always, for me but as I said I do not like this situation. Malaysia and after I suffered a lot and when I reached Valencia I wanted to win the race, simply because we knew that if we did not we would be in this situation as has happened.
“I am not stupid either and knew it would end like this and this made me even more nervous before the race started, even more than in 2013 when I battled for the championship. I wanted to do my job and finish the race as well as possible but on the other hand I wanted to win because I knew I could not pass this up. I made a clean race and tried to catch Jorge, who made a record lap around Valencia during the race, but when I tried to be there for one final attack Dani has arrived and I had lost half a second as I think was seen on TV. It was one of the times I was more serious in the press conference because I knew this was coming, it was a situation I wanted to avoid in the first place by winning the race.
“It is clear that Valentino is the ace of this championship; he is the rider who has more titles and has won the most, he is a legendary rider of this championship today. But in the end one has to look at him, always thinking of others and where you are. We are in a great year for the championship, some riders are older and others younger but we all enjoy motorcycling and, as I said at the time, for me and for any rider, we must try to turn the page, although it will be hard to forget."
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