Marquez still unsure about when he’ll return to the race track
Spanish Moto2 rider Marc Marquez attended the presentation of his new sponsorship agreement with the Garmin company and during the event provided motogp.com details on his current physical condition and his prospects for the start of the 2012 season.
Márquez explained that he is still recovering from the vision problems in his right eye that resulted from a fall during a practice session at the Malaysian Grand Prix last October. The youngster still suffers from double vision, and that before he can return to racing, his vision must be back to 100%.
“My vision is still not quite right. It’s improving, and with every checkup it’s better, but we don’t have a concrete return date yet. My priority is my vision and when we think I’m well enough, I’ll get back on the track,” said the rider from Lleida. “The team has planned all kinds of workouts for me, so when I’m ready, I’ll be up to speed on the bike. I hope that happens as soon as possible, but there’s no exact date for my return.”
The problem lies in the lack of ability to focus his right eye when he looks upward, as when tucked into a race position. Because of this, Marquez says he thinks his condition must further improve before he gets on a racetrack. He is riding motocross for training which he says “is helpful but it isn’t like riding at speed, the doctors are very happy with my progress and they said it just needs patience and time.”
Although he previously considered either returning to the track in a private test at the circuit in Portimao, Portugal, or at the last pre-season test at Jerez between the 19th and 25th of March. But Márquez hasn’t wanted to speculate whether or not he will be at either test, nor has he speculated whether or not he will attend the first Grand Prix of 2012 in Qatar on April 8. “We have to face what we have, keep calm, and when we come back, try to pick up the pace and work hard to recover fast,” added Márquez, who recognized that the lack of pre-season testing “will be an additional difficulty. Moto2 is a difficult and competitive class, and the pre-season is important, but there is nothing to do about it.”
Márquez has been closely following the various tests that have taken place so far and how watched how his rivals are faring in them. He named Pol Espargaró, Thomas Luthi and Scott Redding as a few of the strongest competitors of 2012, but warned that “in Moto2, until the first race, you can’t know exactly where each one will be.” Regarding the strong performance the rival Kalex bike has displayed at the tests, the Spaniard added: “The Kalex are strong bikes, but Suter also going well and we are hoping that when I arrive, we can be as close as possible to them.”
Source: motogp.com