Marc Marquez “ragged” and “rattled” - “he can trip himself up”

Marc Marquez’s unwelcome habit of “tripping himself up” was noted in Jerez.

The factory Ducati rider crashed in the early stages of the Spanish MotoGP, 24 hours after winning the sprint race.

A huge chance at victory evaporated and he ended point-less, somehow behind his brother Alex Marquez in the MotoGP standings after five rounds.

“He was looking more ragged than usual,” Michael Laverty analysed for TNT Sports about Marquez’s early battle with Fabio Quartararo and Pecco Bagnaia.

“This season on the Ducati he has looked composed.

“He braked late but he focused on the exit. As soon as he got rattled, he was back to the Marc of old, attacking the apex.

“At Turn 6, the bike was on the move. He didn’t look settled. He was taking liberties.

“His best part of the race track is through 7 and 8. His approach speed was too much, he was on the rear brake, he overloads the front.

“The front tyre can’t take it. He didn’t need to push like this, at that point of the race.

“He wanted the track position but he risked too much.

“With 25 points on offer, it was Marc who cracked. His brother composed himself and delivered the result.

“That’s twice Marc has made unforced errors. We’ve said it all along - he can trip himself up in this title race.

“Never rule Marc out. But it was a mistake that didn’t need to be made.”

Marc Marquez 'didn't cope' with pressure of expectation

Marc is a single point behind his brother Alex heading into the French MotoGP at Le Mans next weekend.

Bagnaia is 20 points off the championship leader, as another rider who profited from Marc’s fall in Jerez.

Marc’s two crashes in grands prix this season have been in Texas and Jerez, two favourable circuits where he was expected to win, and looked on course until his errors.

Jerez was galling because it was a left-hand corner where he usually excels. Marc later put it down to over-confidence.

Sylvain Guintoli analysed: “There was a very high chance [of winning]. It seems when there is expectation, he makes mistakes.

"That different pressure, he didn’t cope too well.

“It was overconfidence. As a rider, you know where you are strong or weak. Marc knows he’s stronger than all the Ducati riders on left-hand turns.

“There are two left-handers, 7 and 8. He was getting rattled. At Turn 7, he caught up. But at Turn 8…too much.

“You can’t make up that ground. Yes, he’s stronger, but there is a limit. He ran out of grip.

“We know Marc doesn’t give up and he doesn’t like to be second.”