Moto2: 'Motivated' Marquez won't lose focus

Marc Marquez made the perfect start to the Moto2 World Championship with a narrow victory in Qatar, but the Spanish rider is refusing to become carried away as he seeks a repeat performance at his home race this weekend. Marquez edged out Andrea Iannone by just 0.061s to record a stunning comeback victory earlier this month following his return to fitness after he suffered frightening injuries in a crash in Malaysia last year. Marquez had been favourite to lift the Moto2 world crown, but he was ruled out for the remainder of the season after an accident at the Malaysian Grand Prix left him suffering from double vision, a problem that continued throughout the winter. However, last year's championship runner-up showed no ill effects at the opening round of 2012 as he returned to the top step on the Repsol Suter. Marquez, whose younger brother Alex (16) will make his GP debut as a wild card entry in the Moto3 class on Sunday, is feeling confident ahead of the Jerez race but nonetheless is mindful of the pressure that comes with riding in his home event. “We head to Jerez happy and motivated. The win in Qatar gives us plenty of confidence, but we have to stay alert because the pressure and desire to do well in front of the Spanish fans could take its toll,” he said. “The Circuito de Jerez is a track at which we rode in preseason and there are many riders who are fast there, so we will have to be 100% focused in order to have a good weekend.” Marquez finished third at Jerez in the 125cc race in 2009, but has since failed to register a finish in the two years since – a statistic he will be intent on putting right this weekend.