MotoGP champion Marc Marquez always said he wouldn't be surprised to finally lose a race. But even at his most cautious the Spaniard had predicted settling for a po𒁏dium ๊under such circumstances.

Instead he crossedꦺ the Brno finish line ten-seconds from victorious Repsol Honda team-mate Da𓂃ni Pedrosa and over five-seconds from Valentino Rossi and the final rostrum place.

Marquez, who began the race on pole and targeting an all-time record of eleven straight wins at th🔯e start of a season, explained:

ꦇ"Today was one of those Sundays in which I neither felt completely 🤪comfortable, nor had found the best set-up for the bike. It wasn't down to a mistake by me or by the team, it was simply that we didn't have the same feeling as on other Sundays.

"Iꦰn a way it's taken a weight off my shoulde🐟rs, as now people won't be asking me if I can win every race anymore.

"It was also important that we were ✅able to focus on staying in fourth, even though it was tough not to be fighting for the win; we took 13 points that are important fo♉r the World Championship and we have a big advantage.

"𒐪What matters is who wins the title - not who winꦅs the most races"

Despite the loss Marquez's title l𝐆ead stands at 77 points over Pedrosa, the equivalent of over three race wins.