MotoGP champ Marquez 'serious' about F1 future

MotoGP champion Marc Marquez says a switch to Formula 1 could be a "serious idea" after he impressed testing a 2012-spec car. Red Bull supremo Dr Helmut Marko talked up the Spanish star of two wheels after an eye-catching display at the Red Bull Ring this week.

According to Marko, Marquez ended the day putting in lap times 10 seconds shy of Valtteri Bottas' pole-setting time at last year's Austrian Grand Prix - no mean feat considering he was driving an F1 car for the first time and did so in outdated machinery.

Marquez has laid waste to MotoGP since debuting in 2013, taking the title in all but one of his five campaigns to date.

Only John Surtees has won world titles on four and two wheels, but Marquez says he has a taste for F1 after being given the chance to test himself this week.

"My complete focus in the coming years will remain on MotoGP. I'm part of a fantastic team, and I feel fully motivated," Marquez said. "Who knows though, maybe Formula 1 will be a serious idea for me in a few years' time.

"It was always my dream to race the quickest cars in the world. I had great respect for it ahead of today, and I didn't sleep well. In the end it was an unbelievable experience, and an absolute highlight of my career.

"There is a massive difference to MotoGP. The limited visibility was a great challenge, in particular, to begin with. You feel a lot more constricted in the cockpit.

"The braking distances and timing in turns is completely different. A Formula 1 car has much more downforce, of course, which made for a lot of fun in the part of the circuit with the most turns."

A mightily impressed Marko added: "Marc started at one minute 21 and got down to one minute 14.

"He is an exception in MotoGP and it looks similar here at the Formula 1. I am happy that he gets along so quickly.

"A slower program was intended in the first case but I said Marc can do this instantly — and he confirmed that.

"In the coming years he is going to break a lot more records in MotoGP. Maybe after that, Formula 1 will actually be a possibility.

"Up to now only a few exceptional talents, such as John Surtees, have managed to compete in both racing series. Marc also has what it takes.

"Today definitely wasn't the last time he will sit in a Formula 1 car."