'Happy' Marc Marquez targeting Sepang MotoGP return after Portimao test

'I didn’t have any discomfort with my vision' - Six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez stepping up training for Sepang after road bike laps at Portimao.
'Happy' Marc Marquez targeting Sepang MotoGP return after Portimao test

Marc Marquez 'didn’t have any discomfort' with his vision during 65 high-speed laps at𒅌 Portimao on Sunday.

It clears the way for the eight-time world champion to♛ 'intensify' his physical preparation and bike training with a view to attending the opening MotoGP pre-season test at Sepang from February 5-6.

“I am feeling very happy, first to be back on a bike at the track and also be🦋cause we were able to confirm th꧅e sensations I had on a motocross bike here with the road bike," said Marquez, who has been absent from the race track since last October's victory at Misano.

"It’s a great feeling, a feeling of relief bec𒊎ause when I was riding, I didn’t have any discomfort with my vision.

"Since I haven’t ridden in so long, I did notice some physical areas where I’m missing a little bit but this is just beca𓃲use I have not been able to have my usual pre-season.

"There’s a margin to improve but the positive and the fundamental take aw♏ay from this test was to reconfirm the feeling we had when we first got on the motocross bike and to enjoy the good feeling of speed.

"I h෴ave completed an intense day of riding with long runs, I am very happy with the results. We have two weeks until testing ಌbegins in Sepang so I will take the opportunity to intensify my physical preparation and train on the bike.”

Off a motorcycle for nearly three months following an enduro training accident that damaged a nerve in his right eye and triggered a repeat of his 20🍎11 double-vision problems, Marquez successfully returned to motocross last week.

But Marquez's doctors insisted that before booking tickets to Sepang, the eight-time world champion needed to under♏go a day of extensive testing on a grand prix circuit to put his eye throuꦆgh the kind of high-speed rigours experienced in MotoGP.

With the testing regulations preventing use of a RC213V race bike, Marquez took to the Portuguese Grand Pri﷽x venue using the production RC213V-S version and 'track day' style tyres. Younger brother Alex Marquez was also riding.

2022 is the fourth season that Marc Marquez has faced a winter of recovery, undergoing shoulder surgery ahead of the 2019 and 2020 world championships, bꦐefore arm fracture complications forced him to miss the opening two rounds of 2021.

Portimao was the scene of his return to MotoGP action, the Spaniard going on to win three races befor⛎e the eye injury forced his withdraw from the last two events and following Jerez test.

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