Marc Marquez says he lost “confidence” in MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix qualifying having been forced to run his second bike after his preferred machine was damaged in an FP4 crash.
Marquez set the pace in FP4, but suffered his 18th crash of the season at the end of the session going through Turn 7 and was left with just one Honda to complete Q2 with.
With no time to change the “completely different” set-up on his second bike, Marquez was left in sixth – his worst qualifying result since Mugello – and three tenths from pole man Andrea Dovizioso.
Despite his Saturday woes, Marquez – who has never won from lower than fifth – believes he can fight for the win tomorrow if he has the “same bike as FP4”.
“In FP4 I felt good, I was riding really well with the bike, I was so constant with the used tyres too,” the championship leader said.
“But unfortunately I had a crash, then we didn't have time to repair the bike and we didn't have time to change the set-up of the other bike because was a completely different set-up.
“And there again is where we lose the confidence in the qualy, but I feel like if we have the same bike in FP4 we are ready to fight for the podium and even the victory.”
Marquez can win his fifth MotoGP title on Sunday should he outscore Dovizioso by two points, and the Ducati rider is expecting the Spaniard to be “strong as always” in the race because he has a 'margin to take a risk'.
“For sure he will try, but it's normal,” Dovizioso, who trails Marquez by 77 points, said.
“He has margin and he is able to take a risk like in the last three races. Unfortunately, the last four races we were fighting a lot but without thinking about the championship.
“We just fight to win and it will be the same tomorrow, so we not change the fight for the championship, and I think his approach will be strong as always and I think he will be in the top three positions after the first lap for sure.”
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