Marquez names targets for rest of 2019 MotoGP campaign

Having wrapped up the 2019 MotoGP world championship, Marc Marquez says key targets still need to be met this season starting with both the teams’ and manufacturers’ world titles.

Marquez sealed this year’s MotoGP riders’ crown with a dramatic victory in Thailand, meaning he secures the title with four rounds to spare, and is already looking forward to celebrating the feat with Honda’s top bosses at the next round in Japan at Motegi.

But the Repsol Honda rider is eager to help his team pull off a clean sweep of world titles by capturing both the teams’ and manufacturers’ top honours.

While Honda comfortably leads the manufacturers’ fight, with 77-point lead over nearest rivals Ducati, Marquez’s Repsol Honda squad is second in the teams’ standings and trails the factory Ducati squad by 19 points.

“Now it is time to celebrate and time to enjoy it,” Marquez said in Thailand. “These last races our intention, our ambitions and our mentality are the same.

“It is true that when you win the championship for some reason your body switches off one light, I mean if you had five lights it switches off one light. But we will try to change this way and we will try to push.

“One of the targets is to try to win the Triple Crown. In the manufacturers’ we are there but the teams’ championship it will be difficult. We never give up so now we will celebrate but the start of 2020 will be in Motegi.

“It will be difficult but anyway we will try to finish the 2019 season in the best way starting at the next race at Motegi.”

Marquez also laughed off the suggestion Honda wanted him to take the riders’ crown at its home round at Motegi, a feat he achieved in 2014, 2016 and 2018, and confirmed he was encouraged to clinch the world championship at the soonest possible opportunity.

“Some people asked me maybe Honda would prefer to win in Motegi but I received a message yesterday from [Yoshishige] Nomura-san, HRC President, who said try to close the championship in Thailand,” he said. “So I said, ‘okay, no pressure, thank you!’”

Honda and Marquez have claimed two consecutive MotoGP Triple Crowns and last missed out in 2016 when the factory Yamaha squad secured the teams’ title.