Reigning MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez is relishing the pressure of the remaining world title battles as he says he gets bored with having to ride defensively.

The Repsol Honda man would much rather be in a scrap, riding for the win than holding back and counting the points, and thinks this year’s title will go down to the wire in Valencia.

“Last year I stopped enjoying a little bit as I was riding defensive, trying to keep points and that makes me bored. Now I have much more pressure than last year but I like it because you have to give your 100 per cent and you fight until the last laps,” said Marquez.

“For me the title is between three riders. If some of us make a mistakes, the others will be there. It’s Dovizioso, Vinales and me. I think 90 per cent of the possibilities it will end in Valencia. The season has been full of up and downs for everybody. Honda start not so good, Yamaha at the top level, Ducati so-so. Yamaha kept its level but Honda and especially Ducati keep improving and we arrive in a very good level.

“The most difficult has been the first five races. I was slow, taking a lot of risk, plus a lot of crashes. After Mugello, I say this is impossible. I was trying to be safe, smooth with the bike but I finish sixth or seventh and that was not the way to fight for the championship, so we change the attitude back to 2016, ride with passion then you find the feeling.

“After Assen, I understand the bike more and find the limits. If I feel it, I will attack, if not, it’s better to have the points. The bike is more or less in the same level but one important thing is we change the engine this year and now we understand what we need to change very quickly in any situation - in every circuit, in every condition we are able to fight for the podium.”