Marquez: It was like the flag-to-flag in Germany

Brno race winner Marc Marquez admits there was an element of fortune behind his commanding victory in the Czech Republic on Sunday.

The Repsol Honda rider was forced to make an early pit stop to change to his second machine fitted with slicks after his decision to run the soft wet rear Michelin backfired.

Marquez shot into the lead from pole but quickly realised he had made the wrong call as the reigning world champion soon found himself going backwards.

With little option other than to pull in to change to his second bike, Marquez emerged one step ahead of the opposition. By the time his key rivals had switched to their dry set-up machines, he had built a lead of 20 seconds.

Marquez said: “It was a little bit like the flag-to-flag in Germany [in 2016], that I was struggling a lot because I choose the soft option front tyre and I went in early. So today, the same – I put the soft [rear] and I think from the top guys I was the only one.

“I don’t know why I said soft but I wanted to take the risk. When I went out I realised that it was a mistake and this create [a situation] to go in on the box very early. I nearly crashed three or four times when I went out, especially at turn three, I braked and lost the front.

“We did a great job because especially the team was also so quick because my bike was ready and I am very happy,” he added.

“We did the correct plan, the correct strategy because we tested here on the summer break and even for the rider one month is too long without the bike. We arrived here ready with the set-up, ready with the riding style also and it was a very important thing.

“We had a very small things like the winglets and things, but we are improving step by step but honestly I know that in some circuits we will struggle more, some a little less.”

Marquez – who now leads Maverick Vinales by 14 points –feels his season is unfolding in a similar vein to 2016, when he grew stronger as the year wore on.

“It looks like last year – I started not so good then coming better and better. I will try to be in the same way like last year, but this year everything is very close but the important thing is that in a race track that was on the calendar that maybe I will lose some points, I gained and this is most important,” he said.

“It’s the best way to start the second half of the season but the most important is how to finish, so we did an important job today, an important Sunday, and it’s important to have this small gap and it’s better to have than to not have.”