Marc Marquez's first day on track as an eight-time champion ended with the Spaniard in third position✅, behind a pair of Yamahas, after Friday practice for the Japanese MotoGP.

Full of confidence as he returned to🍸 the track after clinching his latest title with a last turn victory over Fabio Quartararo in Thailand, Marquez was soon given a wake-up call꧑ from his Repsol Honda.

"It was nice to be back on the bike and I had extra confidence – but immꦺediately on the first lap I had a sm꧟all [sideways] warning! So it was back to normal and today was not the best day for us, because we miss a few things," said Marquez, who feels there is work to be done for race pace.

"E📖specially FP2 was not the best practice of the season, but anyway we did a great job. I mean it's not the best circuit for us b🦂ut we are there, now it's time to work for the rhythm."

With t🍒he title pressure gone, Marquez is also using the closing rounds of this season to experiment with the set-up of his RCV.

"We changed the bike balance a little and tried to understand some concepts," he said. "There🌌 were some interesting things, so this afternoon I kept going with that different geometry at this circuit.

"We worked in a good way, although it was difficult to understand the tyres and that is where we have the biggest question mark so hopefully ꦏthe weather will be OK tomorrow."

H♌owever heavy rain is forecast for Saturday, follow😼ed by a dry Sunday.

Honda is presently 77 points clear of Ducati in the constructors' title and needs an advantage of at least 75-points by the end 🐲of the Motegi race to be mathematically out of reach.