Alex Marquez has, technically, ridden a MotoGP™ bike before – as a reward for winning the 2014 Moto3™ World Championship, the rider from Cervera took one of big brother Marc Marquez’s bikes for a spin around the Circuit Ricardo Tormo. But the private test in Jerez, shared with many of the WorldSBK grid, gave the Spaniard the chance to turn his first laps in anger as he steps into his EG 0,0 Marc VDS team’s MotoGP™ outfit in place of the injured Tom Lüthi. After his first 30 laps on Wednesday afternoon, with many more to come on Thursday, the EG 0,0 Marc VDS rider said the biggest difference between the intermediate and premier classes was the obvious one – the sheer power.
"It was only a half day for me and I only completed 30 laps, but it was good to get a first impression of the bike before doing a full day,” says Marquez in the aftermath. “I really enjoyed it and it was a good experience. It was very different to riding the Moto2 bike, for a start there's the power, which is incredible, but also the front wheel never seemed to touch the ground! This is something I need to work on tomorrow when I have more time on the bike.”
The aim of putting Marquez on the bike is to give the team on Lüthi’s side of the garage – many of whom are new – an idea of the feedback and feelings that the Swiss rider will likely have when he returns from the sidelines at Sepang. And Marquez, already having won three Moto2™ races in 2017 – one of which was a stunning demolition of the field at the very same Circuito de Jerez – is the perfect candidate.
In addition, he has the perfect ‘assistant’ for both his first few laps and a fuller day of work on Thursday – with reigning MotoGP™ Champion and big brother Marc Marquez on hand in the box: “It's good to have Marc here at the track. He was out watching me on track today and he will be a big help when we start working to set-up the bike ready for Tom to test in Malaysia in January."
Another day on track awaits on Thursday, before it’s finally time for the winter break and chance to recharge the batteries ahead of an assault on 2018.