MARQUEZ SAYS SACHSENRING MARKED HIS RETURN TO THE TITLE FIGHT

Marc Marquez says the Sachsenring Grand Prix was the point when he began to believe he could re-enter the MotoGP title fight, after a difficult return from shoulder surgery left him winless on Sundays and 102 points behind the championship lead.

The turning point came during a run of improving results. By the end of the German weekend, Marquez had won five of the previous eight races; he later took a double victory at Balaton Park. Meanwhile, former points leader Marco Bezzecchi failed to finish a Grand Prix, and his Aprilia team-mate Jorge Martin recorded only one podium during that stretch.

“After Mugello I was super far, but then my opponents gave me the chance to fight again for the championship,” Marquez said ahead of his title opportunity in Qatar. He added that the second half of the season had become tighter, while his pace improved from race to race. Ducati’s updates, he said, helped his feeling on the bike and allowed him to increase his speed.

Marquez can clinch the championship in Qatar, but the task is demanding with rounds in Portimao and Valencia still to come. He must score 30 more points than injured rival Martin from a possible 37, and gain eight on Bezzecchi—or seven if he wins the Grand Prix.

Despite the chance to secure the crown, Marquez said he was approaching the weekend much as he would any other. He noted that title fights decided at the final round had brought greater tension and made it harder to control his nerves. “At the moment, maybe some people think that it’s closer, but in my mind it’s still far, still a lot of work to do,” he said.