Video: MotoGP champion Marc Marquez test drives a Formula 1 car

Marquez: F1 drive was a career highlight

Reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez says a switch to Formula 1 could be a “serious idea in a few years’ time”.

The Spanish rider, a four-time MotoGP title winner, got his first taste of F1 when he drove a Toro Rosso Honda-branded car at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. Marquez rides for the Repsol Honda MotoGP team and the Japanese company is also the engine provider for Toro Rosso.

After his drive in the RB8 car, Marquez said he is committed to MotoGP but has not ruled out a switch to F1 in the future.

Quoted by Crash.net, he said: “My complete focus in the coming years will remain on MotoGP. I’m part of a fantastic team, and I feel fully motivated. 

“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.”

Mercedes delay engine upgrade

Mercedes will wait until the French Grand Prix to introduce their upgraded engine. Sky Sports reports that the team had planned to debut their second engine of the season this weekend in Canada but have identified a “quality issue”. 

A Mercedes spokesman told Sky Sports: “Although we had hoped to introduce PU2 [power unit two] this weekend, a quality issue means that this has now been delayed by one race. So all Mercedes-powered cars will be running PU1 for this weekend, too, before receiving new units in France.”

The Canadian GP takes place on Sunday in Montreal and the French GP is on 24 June.

Williams: Stroll has a great future in F1

Planet F1 reports that Williams are likely to offer driver Lance Stroll a deal for the 2019 season. 

Deputy team principal Claire Williams says the Canadian is “living up to expectations” despite Williams struggling so far this season.

“He has worked very hard to improve the points he had to improve,” she said. “He’s under a lot of pressure, getting criticism that is not deserved and I think he’s showing tremendous maturity in dealing with all of it.

“I am very proud of the work he has done for us and I hope that we will soon be able to give him a car that will allow him to show his full potential. I honestly believe he has a great career ahead of him in Formula 1.”