Marquez uses his brains
Marquez plays it smart to take runner-up spot and extend championship lead
Marc Marquez played it smart to take 20 valuable championship points, having put into practice the lessons learned in 2015 to secure a strong second place behind Jorge Lorenzo and consolidate his 27-point lead over Valentino Rossi.
Often the victim of Lorenzo’s stunning pace in 2015 when he crashed out trying to close down his countryman, the reigning champion said after Sunday’s duel that he was more than happy to let Lorenzo do the hard work of breaking the chasing pack as he settled for the runner-up spot. He said: “Of course I pushed hard in the opening laps because it was important to follow Jorge and to open a gap on the chasers. But when we built a comfortable advantage I just managed the pace. “I even slowed down a bit in the final part of the race as it was impossible to catch him. I saw many crashes, which made me think more than in other races. “My mentality didn’t change when I saw that Dovizioso had crashed out, because I had my strategy from the start. I tried to forget about the others and just focus on myself. When you finish second, it sometimes feels like there’s something missing, but when you check the championship and see how far we are in front it makes you happy again.”
It would have been easy for the Repsol Honda rider to throw away a big chunk of his title lead, with slippery conditions making all three classes a battle of attrition. Thanks in part to high temperatures on Sunday, Marquez says that the new surface also played a part in the accidents. He said: “It was a race to manage. I’m not sure why there were so many crashes, but it was quite difficult to stop the bike in a straight line. Maybe the new asphalt is making things hard. It gives you good confidence to push, but it gives you no warning when you get close to the limit. When the track is more slippery you can actually manage it better because you are more aware.”
While Marquez might have been forced to settle for second place on Sunday, his comments after the race should serve as a stark warning to his rivals about just how hard he is going to be to beat this season as he stretches out the championship lead.
He said: “Last year we were close to the top guys so of course I prefer the current situation, but the feeling this year is even more important. I feel like I felt with the bike at the end of last season, and even with some troubles we’re still able to win now. Maybe some of the top guys are feeling some pressure, but I like the pressure. It helps me stay a little more focused and more concentrated, and I work better.”