MARC MARQUEZ SAYS SPRINT RACES DULL HIS INSTINCTIVE EDGE

Marc Marquez has explained why he dislikes MotoGP Sprint races, even as he continues to dominate the format. His latest victory came in Saturday’s 12-lap Sprint at Motegi, taking his tally to 22 wins—two more than Jorge Martin and eight ahead of factory Ducati teammate Francesco Bagnaia.

Marquez said the shorter races put the emphasis on a quality he considers his greatest strength: instinct. “Instinct is my strong point,” he told reporters. “That’s why I hate Saturdays so much, because Saturdays are all about instinct.” By contrast, he described Sundays as more predictable, with rivals learning how to respond and riders needing to manage the race differently.

The Spaniard also pointed to the emotional and physical swings of a Sprint weekend. He said a demanding test such as one in Malaysia can be tougher physically, but race weekends bring sharp changes in intensity: practice and qualifying, moments of low energy, the Sprint’s adrenaline, then another build-up for Sunday’s race. “The peaks are huge,” he said, adding that riders must try to keep their overall performance consistent even after the rush of a result or the setback of a crash.

At Motegi, Marquez took the lead from pole-sitter Martin at Turn 1, a move he has made regularly in recent weeks. He stressed that getting the braking point right was important, but said the race was not decided there. “Today it was important, but I didn’t win it there,” he said. In some other races, he explained, he had won the Sprint at the first corner; this time, he felt he had the pace to attack later as well. Still, he acknowledged that leading from the start makes the task easier.