Marc Marquez crashed his Ducati for the first time on a race weekend yet still finished Friday Practice third-fastest at the Portuguese MotoGP.
Marquez ended the morning session fastest, then finished the day in P3 after losing the front of his Ducati at Turn 5.
Marquez assessed his crash: “We did a small change on the bike to give me more confidence.
“If you have more confidence you are able to push more.
Marquez had briefly gone fastest during the afternoon session, then dropped back down to fifth.
With one run to go, he was P2, and eventually settled for P3 behind Enea Bastianini and Jack Miller.
He explained his wide smile in the Gresini garage: “It makes me happy that I’m enjoying it. I’m top five, six, you feel competitive. I am consistent with lap times.
“The track will improve. I know Pecco and Martin will arrive.
“Two or three riders are faster than us.
“But I’m enjoying it.”
Portimao was expected to be a major test for Marquez because he had never tested a Ducati here, unlike in Qatar.
But he fed back: “Easier than Qatar. In Qatar I struggled more.
“I was riding – you say conservatively – but it was just without confidence.
