Honda MotoGP Team Manager Alberto Puig reckons Marc Marquez “needs to take it easy” following a spate of five crashes across the German Grand Prix weekend.
Marquez was determined to try and defend his unbeaten premier class record at the Sachsenring circuit, though he struggled to make an impact with Honda’s currently aloof RC213V machine – the Spaniard suffering three crashes during qualifying alone as he desperately tried to feature at the front.
A heavy crash in warm-up – that left him with a fractured finger as well as fractured ribs – ultimately ruled him out of the German contest, while Marquez subsequently had another spill during Friday practice at Assen for the Dutch TT.
Puig has now called for Marquez to “take it easy” following his recent string of get-offs, the ex-MotoGP rider affirming that “now is a time where it’s becoming quite serious”.
“He’s obviously not happy and bruised and not in his best physical condition, he’s had a lot of impacts in Germany,” said Puig.
“There’s not a single rider that is happy crashing, and he understands that the bike is not performing the way he needs but on the other hand he’s a champion and he’s pushing which is why he’s crashing.
“He never gives up and is not accepting it, but now is a time where it’s becoming quite serious and he needs to take it easy.
“Here in Assen he’s a bit affected from the ribs and the ankle and we will see what he can do, but overall we understand he’s not happy and we respect him.”
Marquez currently sits a lowly 19th in the riders standings having only started three of the seven grands prix held so far this year but DNF’d in all – the six-time premier class champion having captured all his points during the sprint encounters at the trio of events with a best finish of third at Portimao.
Alex Rins currently remains Honda’s highest classified rider in the championship in 13th overall thanks to his unexpected Americas GP triumph, though he is currently stuck on the sidelines with a broken leg sustained during the Italian GP sprint contest.
