“Very clever” Marc Marquez mentality pushes him closer to MotoGP title

Marc Marquez missed out on a 25th MotoGP Sprint victory in Sepang, but the reigning world champion took a step closer to a 10th world title in the process.

Marquez lined up on Saturday in Malaysia knowing his closest rival in the MotoGP riders’ standings, Jorge Martin, would not be scoring points over the day’s 10 laps of racing, nor in Sunday’s full-distance race, the Aprilia Racing rider having withdrawn from the weekend as a result of the broken wrist he sustained in Australia last week.

As such, Marquez was in management mode in the Sprint. Victory would be great, of course, but the three-point difference between second and first was not worth the risk of chasing down Pedro Acosta as rainfall intensified in the closing laps.

“Lost? No, because we are leading, but it’s true that it’s that kind of day that to take three points is a lot of risk,” Marc Marquez explained after the Sprint, speaking to MotoGP.com.

“The riders that are not fighting for the championship are able to take more risk. 

“But even like this, Pedro [Acosta] did an incredible race, he was managing well the situation. 

“But my mentality was very clever from the beginning when I saw that it started [to rain]: never lead the race, just try to be behind the leaders.”

Marquez added: “When remained five laps, six laps, it started to rain a bit more on sector two, but then it was better in the end. 

“But you never know here in Malaysia: from one lap to another you can arrive in some point and it’s completely wet.”

Marquez was engaged in battle with Ai Ogura at multiple points during the race. Ogura was the rider most aggressive with the championship leader, something Marquez expected from the satellite Aprilia man, given the championship situation not only with Jorge Martin but also Marco Bezzecchi, who ultimately beat Ogura to third.

“Everybody is doing their race,” Marquez said of Ogura. “Of course, the first lap you need to defend and I didn’t defend in a good way and then he was able to attack. 

“In the end, I expected that he would be very aggressive because the paddock is small and he knows that if I overtake him he will lose the podium because he cannot be in the middle between me and Bezzecchi.”

Looking to Sunday, Marquez is confident about his pace, and he says his mentality won’t change despite having a chance to give himself a first mathematical chance to win the title at the next race should he finish in the top-two.

“On dry conditions I feel okay,” the Ducati Lenovo Team rider said. “It will be a very long race, a big drop on the tyres. 

“But on dry conditions I feel good. 

“In fact, the first part of the Sprint race I was calm because I know that with the tyre drop I start to feel better and better.”

He added: “Not many races to finish to the end, but a lot of moments. So, now try to analyse what we did today, tomorrow do our 100 per cent and, as you see, my mentality didn’t change with or without the main contenders on the track.”