MotoGP: Marquez relieved to have title in the bag

Marc Marquez’s recent misfortune, started last time out at Phillip Island when the new world champion crashed out of the race, continued again this weekend at the Malaysian Grand Prix, with yet another fall bringing to a close any chances he had of taking podium success.

However, coming about thanks to treacherous conditions instead of the switch back to the wilder riding style of his past, he admitted afterwards that it had caught him unawares.

“Rain conditions can always happen, and I made a completely different mistake from Phillip Island, because I was trying to be more quiet on the bike and was trying to make a more normal race like we have during this season. I was waiting to push at the end, but I crashed without doing anything wrong.

“After the crash I told myself ‘ok, we need to finish the race for the team’ and just tried to come back faster and faster, and to finish 36 seconds behind the leader after a crash isn’t so bad.”

And while rallying back to eleventh at the chequered flag was a respectable result considering the crash, Marquez was adamant afterwards that he was set for a sure-fire podium despite crashing out of the battle for fourth.

“I would have been second. Looking at the rhythms, only Dovi was faster than us. Maybe Valentino would have pushed if I’d been there, but I think we were able for second or third place in the end – until I crashed! It’s good that the championship is already in the pocket, otherwise we’d be in trouble!”