Austin race winner Marc Marquez admits the fallout from Argentina forced him into changing how he approached Sunday's “special” MotoGP race in Texas.
Following the events from the race at Termas two weeks ago, MotoGP Race Direction has since said it will impose harsher and more consistent penalties for aggressive riding.
With Marquez at the centre of the controversy in Argentina, the Honda rider – who was due to start from pole but was demoted to fourth for blocking Maverick Vinales in qualifying – admits he felt “extra pressure” to lead from the start.
“It was not the easiest win, but is the first time I approach a different way this race,” said Marquez, who took the lead from Andrea Iannone at Turn 12 on the opening lap.
“Every year I normally wait behind somebody and then attack in the end, because then the race is shorter and I prefer [it this way].
“But, honestly, after what happened in Argentina, I changed my strategy and I tried to lead from the beginning and open a gap because I feel from the practice it was possible.
“I do, and when I saw five seconds, and then Vinales was there, I pushed a little bit more and increased [the advantage] to seven seconds and then I stayed there to finish the race.
“Of course, this weekend I felt extra pressure, but the extra motivation is related to how I like to speak on the track, and that is the way.
“So for that reason I opened a big gap today. Of course, when I feel extra pressure I like it and I feel more comfortable, sometimes it's the opposite.
"But this weekend that was good, because it gave that extra push and motivation you need.”
Honda feels 'sweet'
After missing the win in Qatar by just 0.027 seconds, and being comfortably quicker than the field in Argentina and Austin, Marquez says his Honda feels “sweet” – but he remains wary this could change when the championship heads to Europe next month.
“It's important to come back in the top of the championship, okay second, but one from the top after a zero in Argentina,” he added.
“But the most important thing is how I feel with the bike, the feeling is sweet. I'm enjoying a lot, but now the most important is to see how it works in Europe because in Europe [there are] completely different tracks.
“I mean, [they are] narrow, smaller, and we must maybe change the set-up, but the base we have now in this kind of circuit like today is working really good.”
