Marc Marquez feels "we’re experts in complicating our own lives” but believes he can deliver more in Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix after recovering from ninth on the grid to finish third in the sprint race.
The podium result in the 12-lap Saturday encounter came in spite of an eventful weekend in Japan for the Gresini Ducati rider.
On Friday, he was held back by a variety of small issues he declined to reveal in detail, but which led to him appearing very animated in the garage during the course of the day.
Then in qualifying on Saturday, the eight-time world champion was left a frustrated ninth on the grid after a delay in learning that his best time had been cancelled for a track limits transgression.
Sitting in the pits under the impression that he had done enough for pole position with what would have been a lap record, he claimed that race control left him with no time to try for another lap.
“[I’m not upset about] the cancellation of the lap,” said Marquez. “I clearly went over the mark. But because it took them so long to announce it, that left me unable to make any attempts.
“Once my [fast] time was done, I didn't want to risk more because the conditions were tricky. But if I had known sooner that I had had that lap cancelled, I would have tried to do one more fast lap to try to get ahead on the grid.
“We showed speed in qualifying, but we were unlucky. I touched the green but the notification came very late.
“They told me that there was a notification problem. I don't know if it was something to do with the Wi-Fi,” he joked.
Race Director Mike Webb told Autosport that although the track limits infringement was picked up immediately, a software issue meant manual inputs were necessary for the lap time cancellation to be communicated. This accounted for the delay in notification.
The latest setbacks for Marquez in the build-up to a grand prix Sunday come on the back of three falls in Qualifying 2 at the last three events.
“We are experts in complicating our lives,” Marquez remarked of the pattern.
However, Saturday provided further proof that the Spaniard can put such issues behind him once the lights turn green.
“Once [the lap cancellation drama] was over, I focused on the race and we were close to first, which is the important thing," he said.
“The start was acceptable, but until Turn 5 I couldn't deactivate the height adjuster on the bike, and I wasn't comfortable. I was able to get to Martin and pass him, then the tyre pressure went up and I had to calm down.
“In the end the pressure went down again and I was able to attack Enea [Bastianini], but he defended himself very well.”
