Marquez admits over-confidence caused Phillip Island crash

The Spaniard had established command in the Phillip Island race, seeing off an early challenge from Pol Espargaro and building up a two-second advantage over Cal Crutchlow in the early laps.

However, on the 10th lap, Marquez lost the front-end of his works Honda and crashed out at the Honda hairpin – marking his first retirement of the season and only his second crash of the year in a race.

Explaining the incident afterwards, Marquez admitted that the fact he had sealed this year’s title last weekend in Japan meant he was riding differently to normal, which led to his error.

“When you already get your goal, that is the championship, you try to be the same but you are riding in a different way, with more confidence,” he said. “You think the limit is further.

“We tried to do a great race, but it was completely my mistake. I already know [before the crash], I already feel, it was the mistake that I lose the front.

“I’m sorry for the team because they did an incredible job this weekend, also for Honda, but we are not machines. Sometimes we make mistakes.”

Asked if the crash meant the ‘old’ Marquez had returned, the 23-year-old jested: “I hope normal Marc will be more constant, like this season!

“But when your goal is already done, it’s easy to make mistakes. For the next races we will try to change.”

Marquez likened the crash to a similar one he suffered in 2014 at Phillip Island, which followed closely on the heels of his second title win.

“Already I had the same mistake in a different corner in 2014,” he said. “I won [the title] in Japan, arrive here, open a gap and boom – I crash.

“You learn from mistakes, but the extra confidence your body gives you is more difficult to control.”

Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont