Quartararo hopes Marquez MotoGP return can “destroy” Ducati’s title plans

Earlier on Friday Honda announced that six-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez will come to Misano this evening to have a medical check with a view to riding in the post-race test on Tuesday.

It will mark Marquez’s first time on a MotoGP bike since he went for a fourth major operation on his right arm following May’s Italian GP.

Marquez has made no secret of his desire to race again this year, which is something Quartararo is hoping for – chiefly because it will add a variable that could help him in his quest for a second world title.

“I hope he can be fighting for us pretty soon and try to destroy a little bit the plan of the red bikes,” Quartararo said about Marquez’s potential return.

“But I feel it’s great that he comes back.

“For sure he has some positive feedback on his shoulder from the test (Marquez completed a bike test at Aragon on a Honda CBR600RR last week), so he’s here.

“So, he’ll be here for two days and he will have a clear idea of what his potential of a future race is.”

One of Quartararo’s title rivals Francesco Bagnaia will face a grid penalty in Sunday’s San Marino Grand Prix for impeding Alex Marquez in FP1.

Quartararo – who was fifth-fastest after Friday’s running at Misano – says Yamaha must use this advantage to full effect to try to stop Bagnaia closing the 44-point gap he has to the Frenchman in third in the standings. 

“Of course, we have to use it,” he said of Bagnaia’s penalty.

“We have to use it because at the end, we need to take the benefit from everything.

“Of course, it’s a shame for him, but a good thing for us. So, we will need to take the benefit of this and try to make our best out of that.”

Speaking about his day at Misano, Quartararo was pleased with the pace of his Yamaha and says his final time attack in FP2 wasn’t what it could have been due to the front tyre he was running not being ready for a flying lap.

“It was quite ok,” Quartararo added.

“It’s a shame for the fast lap in the time attack, I didn’t do a mistake but our tyre was not ready.

“For that I could not make a big improvement. But I’m quite happy with the level of grip.

“With 15 or 16 laps [on the tyre] I could do the same time as a time attack with the medium. So, I feel pretty good.”