Alex Marquez: “I nearly crashed, I said ‘time to give up a bit…’”

Alex Marquez has described how Marc Marquez’s brilliance forced him to concede victory in the sprint race in Qatar.

The brothers locked horns on the first lap of Saturday’s shorter race at the Qatar MotoGP.

Pole-sitter Marc fought back successfully when he was overtaken by Alex, who started from second on the grid.

Gresini’s Alex was plotting another move throughout the sprint but was never able to find his opportunity.

Alex Marquez describes Marc Marquez battle in Qatar

“I was feeling super good,” Alex Marquez said. “I had a good start and a good first lap, which was the thing I was most nervous for.

“I tried to keep up my pace. I was close to Marc, I attacked him once. But he went inside again…

“I kept the rhythm. I was really close to Marc and I believed ‘keep here, maybe later we can attack’.

“But he was really fast in the left corners. It’s unbelievable how he turns, how he keeps the line.

“At Turn 12 I nearly crashed… I said ‘okay it’s time to give up a little bit’.

“I watched on the pit board, and the gap from the third rider was bigger and bigger.

I said ‘just go to the end, relax a bit…’

“It was a good race. I need to improve some things for [Sunday] but I am happy with our overall performance.”

Alex entered Qatar as the MotoGP championship leader for the first time, owing to finishing P2 in all six races prior.

Although he has now finished second for a seventh consecutive time, his brother Marc has reclaimed top spot in the championship after winning the sprint.

Alex was warned that his key opportunity to hand his brother a setback was on the first laps of the sprint race.

On Sunday in the grand prix it will again be the Marquez brothers on the front row.