Alex Marquez insists that the challenge of having reigning champion Esteve Rabat as teammate in his debut Moto2 campaign will not faze him in 2015. The current Moto3 champion has moved up to the intermediate class with Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS and says the prospect of partnering Rabat will serve as added motivation rather than intimidation.
“Being part of a set up like this motivates me. This season I continue with Estrella Galicia 0,0 but everything else has changed. I have a new team, a new crew and a new challenge racing in the Moto2 World Championship. We know this will not be an easy transition, but we must stay calm, work hard and the results will come. My goal this season is to learn and prepare for 2016, but we mustn’t rule anything out. From mid-season onwards I expect to be able to fight for the podium and maybe win a race, but this could come sooner or later in the year, we will just have to see. Having Tito Rabat riding alongside me in the team is also a motivating factor, and a big help, as the data accumulated by the team will be shared with both riders. There is no pressure on me for results this year, so I can race every race as if it were my last and like this, when you are free to race, you enjoy every Grand Prix one hundred percent.”
Rabat comes into the new season with his own pressures as the first rider in Moto2 history to defend his title and the Spaniard is expecting a tougher fight for the crown than last season.
“It was difficult to win the championship last season, but it will be more difficult to stay on top this year. The racing will be close this season, so we need to evolve and we will need to work hard, but this is something that motivates me. My training has gone well, I feel fitter than ever and I’m approaching this season with the same enthusiasm as before. It’s difficult to know who my main rivals will be, but we know that the level will be raised and there will be many riders going all out to beat me this season. All I can do is my best, not just when everything is going well, but also when the inevitable difficulties arise.”
