Marquez made his long-awaited comeback on Friday at the Algarve International Circuit after dropping out of the 2020 season after severely breaking his right arm at the season opening GP of Spain in Jerez.
As third fastest on a drying track in FP1, Marquez secured a provisional Q2 place after finishing FP2 with one lap just 0.473 seconds behind the Ducati of pacesetter Francesco Bagnaia as sixth fastest.
Marquez stated that his arm felt “tired” in FP2, but while his physical condition remains a question mark going forward, he says he ran “better than expected”.
“It was a great day, a great feeling and, to be honest, I’m going out on the first run – the track wasn’t that good, but I immediately felt comfortable on the bike,” he said. “Emotionally, I felt better in the morning than in the afternoon because I was fresh. The arm was fresh and I had strength.
“Then I had a little more trouble warming up my arm in the afternoon, and I can feel that the arm was a little more tired. Besides that, we’re in a much better situation than we expected before the weekend.
“I don’t know how because I don’t understand what’s going on. I just ride my bike and try to follow my path.
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“The lap times are coming, it’s not the most important thing, but they are coming in a good way. But it’s true, the main question mark for me – the speed is there – so it’s about how the arm will react on the weekend when I get up tomorrow. “
Marquez’s last lap in FP2 on soft tires was spectacular, saving the Honda rider a great moment on the way into Turn 8.
When asked by Motorsport.com to explain the moment, Marquez said: “The last lap was a little crazy, I didn’t like the last lap but I had a nice save.
“But it’s my driving style, I don’t know. It’s true, I struggle a little more with the new tire than with the used tire. [On the used tyre] the bike gets softer, the lap times get slower and I feel much more comfortable.
“But with new tires everything is stiffer, and especially on this corner – I think it was Turns 6 and 7, that change of direction – my head said it was time to enter Turn 7, but the body didn’t follow what I wanted.
“I just slipped a bit, was a save, but I made the slide to end the corner because it was the last lap and I didn’t give up the lap. Things [like] that I will of course improve with more laps on the track. “
Marquez added that he doesn’t have a goal in mind for Sunday’s race as it all depends on how his arm reacts over the weekend.