Marquez won’t risk MotoGP championship lead for perfect 10

Marc Marquez says he isn’t focusing on maintaining his perfect run of results at Sachsenring if it risks his MotoGP world championship lead despite dominating again at the German track.

The Repsol Honda rider has completed the first half of his potential 10th consecutive pole position and race win with his 56th career pole, fending off Yamaha duo Fabio Quartararo and Maverick Vinales, to move just one behind Mick Doohan at the top of the all-time poles list.

But with Marquez anticipating a similarly tough challenge from his fellow front-row starters, plus Suzuki’s Alex Rins from fourth on the grid, the reigning MotoGP world champion says he won’t risk fighting for a 10th straight win in Germany if it threatens his championship position - a tactic he opted for when he claimed second place at Assen last weekend.

“I am not thinking about the 10th consecutive victory,” Marquez said. “I am thinking about the championship, tomorrow we will see, if the tyres drop for some reason and the grip of the track isn’t the best, or I don’t find the feeling, it is better to take points and better to be there at the top of the championship over winning here in Sachsenring.

 “We’ve tried to prepare well for the race all weekend and we tried all the tyres but we are still not sure which is the best option as it is different. Different feeling, different character and we are trying to analyse that for the race. I know that these two guys will be fast and constant.

“Both Yamaha rides are in very good form and they are riding good and also Rins is there with a good pace.”

Marquez has also been keeping a close eye on his two biggest title challengers, Ducati duo Andrea Dovizioso and Danilo Petrucci, and feels he can take a boost from their struggles at Sachsenring with the pair qualifying down in 13th and 12th respectively.

“The good thing for me is the closest guys in the championship, the two Ducati riders, they are struggling a little bit, especially Dovi, so this is important and this is good for me,” he said.

Marquez holds a 44-point lead in the MotoGP riders’ world championship over Dovizioso heading into the German round which acts as the final race before the summer break.