MotoGP's Malaysian Grand Prix: Marc Marquez takes seventh spot on grid

Sepang(Malaysia): Team Repsol Honda and a noticeable audience at the Sepang International Circuit had a collective moment of freeze as Marc Marquez twisted on turn 15 and skidded along the tarmac in qualifying for MotoGP’s Malaysian Grand Prix here on Saturday.

The championship leader, on the cusp of a fourth MotoGP title, had appeared nervous all morning and it wasn’t the first time he had looked shaky on turns. He had managed to keep his bike in control despite a front-end slide on turn one going wrong. But the latest fumble seemed worse as the 24-year-old was thrown off his ride.

What followed was a demonstration of remarkable fighting spirit as the Spaniard with a 33-point lead in the championship standings pulled himself up and made his way back into the garage. Once he mounted a second bike it was as if the omens had deserted him and it was as smooth a qualifying as any would expect from the reigning champion.

Immediately he recorded the third fastest time at the moment and though he eventually settled for seventh spot on the grid it was a huge relief for the champion and his team.

“I had to take my second bike but I didn’t feel perfect on it, so I did a la that was good but not good enough,” said Marquez, still not content with this qualifying position.

Marquez will head into the Grand Prix on Sunday eyeing his seventh win of the season and should he achieve that it will be a repeat of 2014 when he stood atop the podium. Also, the world leader will be in the esteemed company of Italian icon Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, who have sealed their crowns at the Sepang circuit in the past.

“We’ll try and have a good race. It won’t be easy because here, every time you go on track the feeling is different, depending on temperature, if it rains or not, so we’ll see what it’s like and do our best,” said the man from Cervera.