Toni Elías has returned to MotoGP this season and will work with Marc Márquez at Gresini Racing. For the former rider, now coach at the italian team, Márquez is ‘far superior to the rest’, the opponents have a lot to be scared about, as the former world champion will be ‘in front’ and fighting for the championship if everything aligns.
Speaking to Relevo and quoted on Motosan, Elías addressed the #93’s ‘superior’ quality compared to the rest of the riders on the grid, and how after many years with Honda he got to be super competitive right away which for sure had sent a very clear message to the others:
– He’s a rider who I think is far superior to the rest, who managed to bring a Honda that was a second and a half down to just half a second. And if now in the pre-season he was only three tenths of a second behind, if I was a rival I would be scared shitless. That’s my opinion. Sure he will be in front, sure he can win races, sure he will be in the fight, but the championship depends on a lot of things. It could be fun.
Still, in a very competitive championship, nothing is given and there will be a lot to work to be done, even coming to recall Jorge Martíns run which didn’t meant the title: ‘It’s very difficult to be constantly on a podium or winning races, or fighting for a championship. What Martin did last year, which he almost did, was extraordinary, but history and statistics said it wasn’t going to happen. And it didn’t happen’.