Marc Marquez praised for winning “mental game” against Pecco Bagnaia

Marc Marquez’s late overtake of Francesco Bagnaia at the French MotoGP was a victory in a “mental game”, it has been claimed.

The Gresini rider swooped on the last lap to sensationally pass the factory Ducati rider, and claim P2 at Le Mans.

But the wider context is the psychological advantage Marquez took from Bagnaia in France, after Bagnaia emerged victorious in their wheel-to-wheel scrap in Jerez.

“From 13th on the grid, normally you have no chance,” Sylvain Guintoli said on TNT Sports.

“It’s impossible. Even if you have a good start, you make inroads, and you make no mistakes, you are going to get tangled in battles that you don’t want to be involved in. You are going to lose time.

“He was able to make passes stick. He capitalised on a mistake by Maverick Vinales.

“Every opportunity for Marc, he managed to stick his front wheel in and make it stick. To not lose time.

“It is so hard to do, when you start from that far back.

“The battle with Fabio di Giannantonio was super-clean up the inside. Di Giannantonio twice tried to respond.

“On the final lap, the pass on Bagnaia…

“How far back was he, when he launched the attack? Unbelievable how he managed to stop that, and make it stick.

“Look at him on the inside, there’s no way you can stop that. He still does it. He uses the kerb on the exit and makes it stick.

“He defends on the last section. Inch perfect. He covers the line, there is no way Pecco can get second-place back.

“He wins the duel. The duel that he lost in Jerez. 

“That will matter to Marc. And to Pecco, actually.

“These are mental games. This is really important for the rest of the season.

“Marc got his own back.”

Michael Laverty said about the French MotoGP which Jorge Martin won: “I had been waiting for this three-man battle.

“They are the class acts in MotoGP now, and are on similar machinery. Marc’s is a year-old version and he’s battling two GP24s.

“But the tools Marc has got? The team that Marc has got around him? It’s enough.

“If he was on the second row, it would have been a different kettle of fish.

“It’s nice to see how much he’s loving it. It is reigniting his passion for the sport.”

Guintoli replied: “He sacrificed everything. His contract at Honda, a whole lot of money, just to enjoy himself racing again.

“It goes back to 2020, the massive injury then the years that followed which were difficult on the sporting side because his bike wasn’t competitive.

“When you know you’ve got the weapon underneath you, and the team who can bring you to podiums and fights for victory, there is nothing that feels so good.

“He will feel that the sacrifices were worth it.”