Seventh heaven for Marquez after ‘perfect Sunday’ in Texas

After crashing from the lead two years ago at COTA, Marc Marquez made no such mistake this time around as he thoroughly dominated the American MotoGP. 

Starting third on the grid, Marquez made a brilliant start to lead Fabio Quartararo and Francesco Bagnaia into turn one. 

It was a lead that the eight-time world champion never relented, as he barely faced any pressure.

Marquez purposely lapped slower than he was capable of during the first five laps, therefore leading to a seven rider group out front, however, that soon changed on lap six as he pulled out a one second margin to Quartararo.  

That started a run of over 12 laps where Marquez consistently lapped in the mid to high 2m 04’s - something Quartararo could only do on occasion.  

Speaking after his seventh win at COTA and his perfectly executed plan, Marquez added: "It was a great Sunday! Starting from the warm-up the feeling was good. 

"Basically, my plan A was to lead the race from the first lap and I did it. It was a perfect start, especially the first corner I was braking deep and hard. I tried to control the race in the first three/four laps and then push. 

"From five-zero/four-high (lap times) I went to four-low and that is where I felt very strong. I tried to open a gap and that is what I did. 

"On those laps I felt very good with the bike and the last part of the race I didn’t know how my physical condition would be. 

"I think everybody struggled a lot in this race, so yeah, the gap that I opened with Fabio was enough to manage and ride very constant."

Both of Marquez’s wins this season have come at favoured left-handed circuits (Sachsenring and COTA), and while he’s always preferred these venues compared to right-handed tracks, Marquez said the feeling between both has increased following his injury last year. 

"Of course, in the left circuit corners; always has been one of my strong points, but now with the injuries it is even bigger the difference, the feeling in right and left corners," said Marquez. 

"It is easy to explain that the left corners I can turn and I can push with the left hand and use the triceps. 

"But in the right corners, just I push with the left and from there I have understeer. When I try to push with the right hand at the moment I can’t, but I am able to ride well. 

"It is true that riding like this is difficult, which is why I crashed many times, but we are working on it and we are trying to understand it well."