Marquez adopts Bagnaia’s turn four line, sees 'interesting' last few races
In what was maybe the most dominant MotoGP win of any rider this season, Marc Marquez made it seven wins from eight tries at COTA, while also making Austin his second most successful venue behind Sachsenring.
The eight-time world champion eventually won by 4.6 seconds after leading from start to finish.
Up next for Marquez is a return to Misano, a track he expects to be tough given the recent race and test there.
However, Marquez has already set his eyes on the final two rounds in Portimao and Valencia, two tracks that although not left-handers, both have characteristics that should suit him.
"It’s true that three races remain. Misano will be difficult because everybody will ride so fast," said Marquez.
"With the previous race, the test and everybody will be too fast, so there will pass the race. But then the last two races will be interesting for me to understand where I am, especially with the right corners in Portimao."
Marquez finished seventh at Portimao earlier in the year - his first race back from injury, but given his improved physical condition and the up-down nature of the Portuguese circuit, it’s one that should provide opportunities, despite nine of the 15 corners being right-handers.
Post race in Austin, Marquez was also asked about the consistency he showed with the tyres and his physical condition - COTA is notorious for being one of the toughest tracks in both aspects.
Marquez put this down to being a rider ‘that if I can do a lap time in practice then I can repeat in the race’, something others have struggled with this season at times, while also finding a new line through turn four thanks to studying Bagnaia.
The Repsol Honda rider added: "I’m a rider that if I can do a lap time in a practice then I can repeat in a race. It’s true that sometimes you go out and sometimes the feeling is not the same and you struggle more.
"But my pace was the one that I showed on the practice; 2m 4s middle with the new tyre, and 4s high with the used tyre.
"Then, the last five laps I slowed down because the gap was big. The feeling was great and I rode like in the practice.
"If Fabio [Quartararo] were to push I knew the points where I was able to take more risk, that was especially turn two, three and four, but riding like this I was able to be comfortable.
"Also in turn four, yesterday I checked the videos and saw Pecco [Bagnaia], so I copied his line and this helped a lot.
"I said ‘what is he doing, he was cutting the kerbs a lot’. The (lap) time was similar, but with less force."
