Marquez: Multiple riders in Brno victory hunt

Marc Marquez has pinpointed a total of five riders in the fight for victory at Brno while he’s content with playing the long game with his healthy MotoGP world championship lead.

The Repsol Honda rider has secured a front row start for the Czech Republic MotoGP round after leading the majority of qualifying only to see Andrea Dovizioso and Valentino Rossi dart ahead of him with their respective final flying laps.

Marquez says he still achieved his minimum target of a front-row start in Brno despite not finding an optimum set-up for qualifying.

“It is a circuit that we usually suffer at a little bit, but even like this we are close to the fastest guy that, for me, is Dovizioso,” Marquez said. “We are there and we will try to fight for the victory and of course if it is not possible we will try to fight for the podium.”

When quizzed on who he sees as his major rivals for victory at Brno, Marquez has picked out himself along with both factory Ducati riders Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo, Suzuki’s Andrea Iannone and Yamaha’s Rossi but is focused on reaching the podium to maintain his championship momentum with a 46-point lead in the riders’ standings.

“There are a few riders that have a good pace,” he said. “Dovi worked with a lot of laps on the tyres and when he put the new tyres in he was fast. Both Ducati riders are fast. Iannone will be fast. Valentino on paper is a little bit far off but on Sundays he is always there.

“It will be a tough race but the most important thing is to be there. This championship is really long and tomorrow’s race will be very long and hot so it is important to be there and fight until the end.”