MotoGP: Marquez ‘couldn’t have slept’ if he didn’t try last corner move

Marc Marquez has admitted that he couldn’t have slept easy on Sunday night if he hadn’t tried an incredible last corner move on Andrea Dovizioso in Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix, even though he couldn’t get the Repsol Honda over the finish line first afterwards.

Making the do or die manoeuvre on the Ducati rider, it wasn’t enough to stop yet another incredible performance for Dovi as he enjoys a renaissance season in the premiere class.

“I wouldn’t have slept well tonight if I didn’t try to go for the win in the last corner! But it wasn’t possible. Today Dovi had just a little bit more than us and it was difficult to overtake him. I tried my best all race, really gave it my all, and I lost the rear many times. It was a great battle, and Dovi deserved this victory as he rode very well. We got this second place and it’s good.

TOP STORIES

• Motorcycle sales continue to fall
• Video: Man waits 78 years to sit on Triumph Tiger
• The best baby Ducati sportsbikes
• Ulster GP: Hat-trick Hickman ‘can’t be disappointed’
• Top #ride5000miles MCN T-shirts

“I’m very happy with these 20 points at this track where I had struggled a lot last year. It’s an important result for the Championship. We’re working well; step-by-step, we found a good base that allowed us to be there, and to be consistent in every situation. Today I was able to try that move at the end because I was feeling good with the bike. It will be important to continue like this and to try and be on the podium at every race.”

But while Marquez was forced to settle for second, it was yet another good weekend all round for the Repsol Honda team, with teammate Dani Pedrosa chuffed to take another double podium for the squad in third.

“I’m very, very happy with how this weekend turned out and with this podium finish, as we had struggled a lot in the practices, had to go through Q1, and finally qualified just eighth on the grid. But it turned out in the race that I was faster than we were expecting. I still had some issues with the front locking and the rear spinning, but our race strategy worked very well.

“I wasn’t too aggressive in the beginning; I took my time with a full tank, saving some fuel, and then step-by-step I increased my pace until I closed the gap to the front of the race, also because Marc and Dovi were battling and disturbing each other. Unfortunately, when I caught them I had so much spinning that the rear tyre overheated and I had no more grip and drive. I wanted to stay with them and try to fight with them but even though I couldn’t, I’m happy with this podium and proud of my team and of the work we did here.”

Have a browse for your next bike on MCN Bikes For Sale website or use the MCN’s Bikes For Sale App.