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Marc Marquez- 'When you think he's down, he just fights back' - Sylvain Guintoli hails Marc Marquez Sprint victory at Grand Prix Netherlands
Ducati Lenovo rider Marc Marquez was victorious again on Saturday, as he won the Sprint race at Grand Prix Netherlands. Sylvain Guintoli praised his ability to bounce back from adversity, after the Spaniard suffered two heavy crashes on Friday, which had appeared to reduce his mobility when he was seen off the bike. Meanwhile, Michael Laverty tipped an unexpected rival for Sunday's race.
Sylvain Guintoli was impressed by the manner of Marc Marquez’s Sprint victory at Grand Prix Netherlands on Saturday.
The Ducati Lenovo rider started in fourth place at Assen but quickly moved into second spot from the start, before reaching first place on the opening lap.
The world championship leader had to fend off a challenge from his younger brother, Alex, but the BK8 Gresini man was unable to take first place.
Victory extended the elder Marquez’s lead at the top of the standings. The win was made all the more impressive by the obvious discomfort that he was in after two crashes in Friday’s Practice sessions.
The Spaniard appeared to be a little stiff off the bike, but when the race started he was close to his usual best.
Speaking on TNT Sports after the race, Guintoli said: "I mean, he was on the back foot. He had those two massive crashes. Clearly in pain, physically, didn't have a good qualifying.
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'Just dropped away from him' - Quartararo suffers another crash after starting on pole
Video credit: TNT Sports
"When you think he's down, he just fights back. I mean what a race he did. Unbelievable."
'I think Bezzecchi will look good' - Laverty expects new challengers
Guintoli had previously said that he could see Francesco Bagnaia challenging, but the former world champion fell flat, finishing in fifth spot.
Fellow TNT Sports pundit Michael Laverty tipped Marco Bezzecchi to do well in the GP on Sunday, after the Aprilia rider finished third in the Sprint.
Of a Marquez win in the full-length race, he commented: "It's possible, but I think there may be challenges from different areas tomorrow. I think Bezzecchi will look good over a 26-lap race."
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MARC MARQUEZ LANDS BROTHER ANOTHER BLOW
Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) extended his lead in the overall championship with an impressive win in the Sprint event at the Grand Prix Netherlands.
The Spaniard was in clear pain after two huge crashes during practice on Friday and only qualified fourth fastest.
Despite starting on the second row, Marquez flew down the outside of the pack and challenged pole setter Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP).
Marquez took only one lap to take the lead as Quartararo struggled to hold the lead.
Championship contender Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) was alert to the danger and also passed Quartararo to keep close behind his brother.
Alex Marquez looked to have the advantage over his brother but failed to pass as the championship leader held onto his lead.
By the midway point, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) moved into third place as Quartararo struggled to match the pace of his qualifying session.
With riders challenging him behind, Quartararo crashed out in the closing stages as the pole setter was left disappointed with his performance.
At the front, Marc Marquez did enough to fend off his brother for a ninth Sprint victory of the season from 10 outings.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will be looking to extend his overall lead in tomorrow’s Grand Prix over 26 laps.
MARC MARQUEZ REFLECTS ON ‘UNEXPECTED’ VICTORY
Marc Marquez said that his Sprint victory at the Dutch GP was "unexpected" after battling through from a second-row start.
He told TNT Sports: "Today we breath, in the qualifying practice my body couldn’t accept another crash like yesterday.
Today I was calm and tried to control the situations. I didn’t expect the victory in the Sprint, but I got to first and then I defend.
"I just tried not to make any big mistake, not to exaggerate, but not to be make any mistakes. Let’s see tomorrow if we can manage that turn 11 and 12 which is my weak point on this circuit."
BEZZECCHI REFLECTS ON ‘FANTASTIC JOB’
Marco Bezzecchi said that he "loves" the Assen track after finishing third in the Sprint race.
He said: "It’s fantastic, it has been a lot of time that I haven’t been on the Sprint podium.
"There is not a better way to come back here in Assen. I love this track, I love the fans, it has been fantastic.
"I was very fast and in one moment I thought that I could try and attack Alex (Marquez) also, but I lost a bit of the front in corner three and lost some metres.
"It was a fantastic job all the day, let’s see tomorrow."
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Honda 'is an option' for MotoGP world champion Jorge Martin, claims manager Albert Valera, as Aprilia contract dispute rumbles on
Jorge Martin has managed to appear at just one Grand Prix weekend for current team Aprilia, with the world champion kept out of action because of a string of injuries. A contract dispute between the two parties has been reignited after Martin's manager, Albert Valera, insisted the rider is free to move to another team next season, with Aprilia again denying that is the case.
Jorge Martin’s manager Albert Valera insists the Aprilia rider is free to leave and race for a new MotoGP team, with Honda "an option".
Speaking on Saturday to Moto GP, Valera was questioned about the contract dispute between the current world champion and his team.
It has been reported that Martin is allowed to break his contract if the team cannot produce a title-challenging bike, but the Spaniard has been absent for all but a single race for the outfit he joined only last year.
Aprilia, for their part, issued a statement, saying: "Our position has not changed since the press release issued on May 22. Aprilia Racing representatives won’t give any further comment on the matter."
Valera had his own view, stating: "What we can say is Jorge Martin is free of contract for 2026. It’s pretty clear for us, he’s executed a clause he had in the contract, and we’re just following the contract.
"He’s completely open, available, and we will see what happens in the future. He had a clause in the contract, he had a right to exercise that clause, and he did so.
"For the moment, we cannot talk about any third-party offers because it’s still maybe not the moment. We need to talk and understand other offers.
"The first thing that we need to do is to make sure Jorge wants to execute that clause; he did it, he announced it in his statement.
"We deeply believe that he is free. From the moment that we defend Jorge’s freedom, we’re able to [talk] to other manufacturers. You ask me about Honda and that is an option for next year."
Valera added that Martin had been prepared to extend the clause, and accepted that Aprilia’s other rider, Marco Bezzecchi, had impressed, but that was not enough to fulfil the contract.
He explained: "We always wanted to extend the clause, in good faith; we thought that Aprilia and Jorge deserved a second chance and that was denied.
"No one can tell Jorge he is going to be fast on Aprilia, he needs to feel it himself, that was always what we defended because that was the spirit of what we negotiate.
"I know that Marco is doing a good job, and we believe that Jorge can do a good job. Jorge has a right, by contract, [and] needs to try the bike himself.
"We need to give him that confidence; if we don’t, we’re giving him the wrong message and no matter what happens, he’ll probably think about other destinations."
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