Marc Marquez: “Full attack” for Balaton MotoGP Sprint win, Alex spots “Norick Abe” style

Marc Marquez switched from “eco” to “supersport” mode to deliver a dominant Sprint MotoGP victory at Balaton Park on Saturday.

The reigning MotoGP champion arrived in Hungary insisting he had little chance of fighting for victory after finishing seventh on his comeback from shoulder surgery at Mugello.

Instead, the Ducati Lenovo rider topped Friday morning practice, secured pole position on Saturday and then produced a commanding Sprint performance.

The Spaniard broke the challenge of KTM’s Pedro Acosta in the opening laps, then managed a two-seconds advantage to the chequered flag.

“As you see, the strategy was clear,” Marc Marquez said. “Yesterday I was in eco mode, today supersport mode - and tomorrow I need to be sport mode!

“Supersport because since the first lap of free practice in the morning, I gave everything and I was riding fast.

“In qualifying, I rode in a normal way over a single lap. Then in the sprint, I went full attack the first 3-4 laps. And then just I manage the distance.”

Despite that performance, Marquez remains wary of being caught out.

“I feel not bad,” he said of his condition. “It's true that on the last laps… tomorrow [n the grand prix] the key point is to understand when I feel the drop.

“Because the mental side is continuing on the racing mode, but the body is not following.

“I need to be very careful because just a small mistake in a change direction with the body position, as happened in Le Mans, can cause a crash. So it's what we don't want.”

Marquez also revealed an observation from brother Alex about the way fatigue affects his riding style, comparing it to 500cc legend Norick Abe.

“With the adrenaline, it's difficult to feel what's going on, just every lap you are stiffer and playing less with the body on the right side,” Marquez explained.

“My brother was joking to me in Mugello, and today a bit also, because when I get tired, I start to ride a bit like Norick Abe.

“I just compensate with the left side in the right corners.”

Despite his condition, Marquez’s Sprint form means he is now a firm favourite for what would be a first grand prix win of the season on Sunday.

“I'm stronger than I expected after Mugello, when I felt very far,” he said. “But the fact that it’s a change of circuit, and with the left corners [that I like], I started to ride in a better way.

“In the first part of the season, I was not the fastest Ducati in the left corners, now I start to be the fastest one, I start to play well with the body. So it makes my life easier in this circuit.

“But, as I said, I'm slower than last year here. So let's see if tomorrow we can manage the race.”

Marquez heads into Sunday’s race 97 points behind Aprilia’s title leader Marco Bezzecchi, who finished third in the Sprint.