MotoGP Dutch TT winner Marc Marquez admits he expected to “lose some points” at Assen, as it has typically been a tricky circuit for Honda in the past.
Marquez was a permanent factor in the multi-rider battle for the win which took place in Sunday's race, which he prevailed in after a late charge.
The Honda rider came into the race as the favourite having shown strong pace on all tyre compounds on long runs throughout practice.
However, having last won at Assen in 2014, Marquez felt the strength of his rivals – particularly Yamaha – at the Dutch venue would see his 27-point lead prior to the event decrease.
“Today, honestly speaking, I thought maybe in this race track we would lose some points,” Marquez, who now holds a 41-point advantage in the championship now, said.
“But we gain, and we gain a lot. This doesn't mean we will relax, it's the opposite. Time to attack, it's time to attack because we are at a point [in the season] where we have a lot [of points] but not enough.
“I want more and more, and this is the way, and try to keep the same mentality, keep the same level.
“But it's important in a track that in the past Yamaha was very strong and we were struggling, I was able to be there.
“I was able to especially on the practice, more than the race, but I had the pace.
“Then in the race in the last laps, even with the wind, I was able to ride in 1m34s low again. So this is the most impotant.”
Rins contact my fault
Marquez almost crashed in a spectacular moment exiting the Strubben hairpin on lap 12 when Suzuki's Alex Rins made slight contact as he overtook him.
The Honda rider admits he has no idea how he saved that moment, but blames himself as a rider on the inside line 'has the advantage'.
“I don't know, I don't know, even me,” Marquez said when asked how he avoided a crash.
“I just saw the photo and was crazy. With Rins, we have contact, he touch me, but in the end it was my mistake because I was on the outside, and when you are outside you need to understand that whoever is inside has the advantage.
“I was there, I had the contact, and I just nearly fall down from the bike.
“The left foot, the left hand, even the clutch lever was done, and even on the straight I was trying to recover. It was crazy.”
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