Champion Marc Marquez begins 2020 build-up in Japan

MOTEGI, Japan: With his sixth MotoGP world title already secured, Marc Marquez will head into this weekend’s Japanese race already planning for next season where he will aim to close in on Giacomo Agostini’s all-time record of eight elite level championships.

Spain’s Marquez claimed his sixth MotoGP crown in seven seasons last time out in Thailand, with four races to spare, and eighth overall.

A race victory on Sunday would be his 10th of the season but the 26-year-old Honda rider is already thinking of next year where another title would take him level with Valentino Rossi, who won the last of his seven world championships in 2009, one back from Agostini, whose record eighth came in 1975.

“The target now is to win the ‘Triple Crown’,” said Marquez. “The constructors championship is there but the team championship will be difficult, we’ll never give up. 2020 starts in Motegi.”

His focus on next year comes as a consequence of the pressure being applied by fast-improving French rookie Fabio Quartararo.

The Yamaha rider has suffered two narrow defeats to the world champion in recent races with victory only decided on the closing laps.

“I didn’t expect this guy,” Marqeuz said of Quartararo. “He will be a very tough contender next year for the championship.”

The 20-year-old Frenchman has had four pole positions and five podium slots so far.

“I really like this track,” Quartararo said on Thursday on the Twin Ring Motegi track which is 86 miles (139km) away from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant.

“The objective at the beginning of the year was to take the ‘ Rookie of the year’ title, but I’m not focussing on that any more.”

Quartararo’s rookie season has seen the Petronas Yamaha rider climb to seventh in the rankings, and in the second half of the season he has emerged as Marquez’s biggest rival.

Behind Marquez all riders down to Quartararo are still in with a chance of the runners up position for the 2019 season.

However, Ducati’s 33-year-old Andrea Dovizioso, who won in Japan in 2017, can seal second place on Sunday. — AFP