Marc Marquez: “Great surprise, podium possible - or another crash!”

After qualifying seventh and crashing out of the Sprint, Marc Marquez was “surprised” to find himself keeping pace with the leaders for the first half of Sunday’s British MotoGP.

But he admitted Saturday’s mistake weighed on his shoulders and probably cost him a chance of passing Francesco Bagnaia for the podium.

Marquez had been playing catch-up after “struggling” in Friday practice and, although on course for a safe fourth before his Sprint fall, had “never been quick” on the medium compound tyres needed for the full grand prix.

But boosted by a set-up change in warm-up, the Gresini Ducati rider shadowed eventual winner Enea Bastianini for the first half of the 20-lap distance, on the tail of the leading group.

When Bastianini, whose factory seat Marquez will take over next season, began carving through the trio of riders ahead, Marquez moved into fourth by passing pole sitter and 2023 winner Aleix Espargaro.

The eight-time world champion then began closing on Bagnaia, gaining 1.5s in the last two laps to finish almost within striking distance of the reigning double world champion.

“Honestly speaking it was a great surprise,” Marquez said of his Sunday pace. “We were always in delay [catching up] this weekend and then in the warm up we tried something that helps me a bit more.

“For that reason, I was able to keep pace with the front riders in the beginning of the race. This was the best surprise for me. Because I have never been fast with the medium rear and medium front tyres.

“But I felt super good in the race. And then I was quite conservative in the end because the mistake from yesterday was on my shoulders.”

Without that conservative approach, Marquez confirmed he might have got the better of Bagnaia - or fallen.

“Without the crash yesterday, maybe the podium was possible today - or another crash! You never know!” Marquez smiled. “But when I overtook Aleix, I just pushed 2-3 laps to open a gap and then I was controlling more behind than [looking at] Pecco.

“Because for my mentality, I cannot make two mistakes in the same way, yesterday and today. So for that reason, today I preferred to finish and leave with a good feeling for Austria, than arrive there without confidence.”

Although almost within reach of Bagnaia at the flag, Marquez was in turn less than a second clear of VR46 Ducati rider Fabio di Giannantonio.

Marquez’s priority at the Red Bull Ring in two weeks will be to start the weekend strongly from Friday practice.

“It's my first year [on this bike],” Marquez said. “In some race tracks we start like Jerez and don't touch anything. And here we start with our base but we changed completely the bike and in the end we improved.

“There’s always a question mark [when you arrive at each track]. Always we try to be ready, with two different ways [to set-up the bike], but in FP1 sometimes it's difficult to understand.”

Marquez has now lost third place in the world championship to Bastianini by 13 points but pulled 49 points clear of Maverick Vinales in fifth.