168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Marc Marquez is “on target” to be a MotoGP championship contender at the midway stage of this season, Simon Craf🗹ar believes.

This weekend’s Portuguese MotoGP is the sꦺecond round of 2024, and Marquez’s se🍌cond opportunity to race on a Ducati.

He finished P5 and P4 at the season-opener in Qatar to underline potential that di🐻d not exist last year, wh♌en he was on a Honda.

“Marc is on target. That’s ꦍthe best way to describe it,” broadcaster Crafar explained from inside the Portimao paddock.

“He has given h🎃imself a goal. He’s a very experi🅘enced rider, the most experienced in the field at winning championships and races.

“He knows that championships are like wet races.

“Everyone starts with a hiss and a roar, and gets 🐎carried away. You 🥀lose some contenders to crashes and injuries.

“The way to finish on top is not to do that!

“He didn’t ge꧋t in a fight [at the end of the Qatar MotoGP], he realised💃 Jorge Martin had more, he brought it home.

“He is on target to fight for the championship.

“At midway🗹, to be one of th💎e few left who can fight for the title.

“That’s his end goal, what he’s aiming at. Stay on the bike,𝔍 gets results, get points…”

This weekend’s Portimao round represents a new and stiffer challenge because, ♛unlike Qatar, Marquez has not previously tested his Ducati at the circuiꦅt.

“The real test is here because it’s the firsꦉt one where we haven’t tested,” Crafa𝐆r said.

“If your bike works, you feel comfy on i🤪t, here is great to ride around. If you don’t, it’s horrible, it feels dangerous, there are so many places you can crꦕash.

“Pedro Acosta and Marc haven’t ridden their bikes here. It wꦬill be interesting how quick t⭕hey can develop through the weekend.”

The eight-time world champion’s age will mꦗake it tougher for him to adjust after 11 years at Honda but Crafar backs Marquez.

“Marc is 31. I found that’s the beginning of the hard s♉tage to adapt to change,” Crafar explained.

“He’s got a new bike, he’s figuring it out.

“In your 20s you are like a sponge. In yo💙ur 30s you have habits that are hard ♉to change.

“Marc is doing a great job so far. 🎐Midway, he will be in the fight!”

Despite Marquez’s early potꦿential on his GP23ܫ, the dominance of the GP24 is a major problem for him.

Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin, last ye𒁏ar’s champion and runner-up, won the first gꦇrand prix and sprint race respectively this year, riding the developed Ducati.

“People like Jorge Martin are a nightmare for him,” Crafar said about ♑M🐻arquez.

“Bang, Q2! Bang, front 🎀row! How do you pass them when you are still trying to set your bike up?

He is ada⛄pting. He will find setting and know how  to fight the opposition with it. He will get stro🍬nger.”

Crafar added that the ‘24 Ducati, in ▨pos🦄session of the factory and Pramac duos, is a bike which “hits the sweet spot” of development from the version that Marquez rides.