MotoGP standings leader Marc Marquez admits he is wary of the threat posed to him by fellow front row starters Johann Zarco and Andrea Iannone for Sunday’s title decider in Valencia.
Marquez starts on pole for the eighth time in 2017 despite tallying up his 27th crash of the season in qualifying, while main championship rival Andrea Dovizioso qualified down in ninth spot.
The Honda rider only needs to finish inside the top 11 regardless of where Dovizioso finishes to win the world championship, while the Ducati rider – who is 21 points adrift – has no option but to win and hope Marquez is 12th or lower.
Starting alongside two of MotoGP’s most notorious hard-chargers in Zarco and Iannone – and with both keen to end the season on a high – the Spaniard is wary of getting involved in a battle with the pair and may alter his ‘Marquez style’ approach to the race.
“As I say since Thursday: ‘Marquez style since warm-up,” he said.
“Maybe we need to change a little bit the strategy, maybe we need to adapt in the conditions we will have tomorrow.
“If you see a front of Marquez, Zarco and Iannone, you say ‘dangerous, first corner something will happen’.
“But tomorrow, it’s another race for me to manage in another way.
“But I know Zarco is very fast in the beginning (of the race), so if he needs to take the rhythm, for me is OK.
“Iannone also, he is a fighter on the bike, but I will try to do my best and to finish the race. This will be the most important for me.”
Marquez faced a title-deciding Valencia Grand Prix in his debut season in 2013 against Jorge Lorenzo, who tried to slow up the pace while leading in an attempt to put more bikes between himself and his compatriot.
The Honda rider does not think Dovizioso will employ the same tactics on Sunday, as he does not feel the Ducati man’s pace – while conceding it is better than his ninth in qualifying suggests – simply is not strong enough to get into a similar situation.
“I don’t think so,” Marquez replied when asked on the matter.
“I mean, in 2013 Jorge was the fastest one in the practice, and today Dovi at the moment doesn’t have the fastest pace.
“He’s fast, he’s better than his ninth place, I think, on the pace. But he is not the fastest one.
“So, to slow down to get 11 riders at the front, I don’t know.”
