Gresini’s Alex Marquez admits “errors I didn’t have to make” led to the tense last-lap showdown for dash victory on the MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix with Pedro Acosta.
The 2025 championship runner-up got here into Saturday at Portimao because the favorite following a powerful Friday, however may solely qualify in fifth as a consequence of a crash in Q2.
A speedy begin noticed Alex Marquez vault to 3rd on the opening lap, earlier than he shortly labored his technique to the lead.
He needed to have interaction in a tough battle with KTM’s Pedro Acosta to carry his lead, making a decisive transfer on the primary straight on lap 9 of 12.
However Acosta reeled him in over the ultimate lap, with the pair cut up by simply 0.120s on the chequered flag.
Marquez says he used up an excessive amount of rear tyre, maximising his driving energy within the final nook, which then led to him being too conservative on the ultimate lap and permitting Acosta a chance to shut him down.
“I loved it rather a lot,” he mentioned after his second dash win of 2025.
“I imply, after the qualy, the error that I did, it was essential to take away that feeling that I had in my abdomen, and I mentioned, ‘Okay, at this time we will go for it’.
“I did a extremely good begin, and once I was there behind them I noticed that I had one thing extra.
“So, I simply mentioned, ‘Okay, be affected person, attempt to do issues within the appropriate manner’.
“It’s true that my plan was to overhaul on the final nook earlier than the primary one.
“I had good drive there, all the time, with the Honda and with the Ducati; it’s my robust level.
“And I used to be in a position to overtake there in a simple mode.
“Nevertheless it’s true that, to do this, I used a bit of bit an excessive amount of rear tyre and ultimately I used to be on the restrict.
“So, I made small errors that I didn’t have to do, like within the final lap, I slowed down a bit of bit an excessive amount of.
“Anyway, I believe I nonetheless don’t have the sensation that I had yesterday on the bike. Some issues appeared on the entrance tyre, so possibly we have to stability the bike a bit higher.”
Marquez added that his defence towards Acosta was made harder by “issues stopping the bike”.
“He knew that the one alternative he needed to win the dash was to assault me once more,” he defined.
“And I used to be not in a position to defend, as a result of I had some issues stopping the bike.
“That is one thing we even have to enhance for tomorrow. In some locations, the entrance feeling was not the perfect, so we have to see why.
“It was a pleasant battle. The battles are good whenever you win. If you lose, it’s painful.”
