Marc Marquez still not thinking about title challenge

Repsol Honda rider Marc Marquez may have only finished off the podium once in his opening six MotoGP races but the rookie sensation is still refusing to think he is a world title challenger in 2013.

The 20-year-old has already become the youngest rider in history to win in MotoGP when he was victorious in the Austin round and he heads into this weekend’s clash at the iconic Assen track trailing HRC teammate Dani Pedrosa by 30-points.

Only a crash while running second late on in the Mugello race in Italy earlier this month has blotted his copybook.

Despite such a brilliant start to his premier class campaign he is still not thinking about winning the title at the first attempt.

Speaking to MCN at last week’s Motorland Aragon test in Spain, the former 125GP and Moto2 world champion said: “I am third 30 points behind Dani and 23 behind Jorge and they have a lot of experience. I will go race by race and not think about the championship. I just want to enjoy it and then we will see at the end where I am but this is not the time to be thinking of the championship.”

Marquez though does admit that he is performing much better than he had anticipated in his rookie campaign after his win in Texas, a second in Jerez and three third places in Qatar, Le Mans and Catalunya.

He added: “My results are better than what I expected before the season. In the races I have finished I have always been on the podium. I had just one crash but I was in second place when that happened in Mugello and this is important for me and my team to see that I am at a good level.

At some circuits I am struggling more than others but the level is better than I expected before the season started.”