Marc Marquez 'won't be losing any sleep' over crash at Grand Prix of the Americas, says Michael Laverty

Michael Laverty insists Marc Marquez won't be "losing any sleep" over his crash at the Grand Prix of the Americas and believes the six-time MotoGP champion can take a lot of positives from the weekend.

The 31-year-old had been leading on Sunday when he slid into the gravel on Lap 11, with Maverick Vinales going on to secure victory and make it a double-winning weekend.

Marquez had also lost a wing after early contact with Jack Miller in what was a dramatic start to the race.

But having swapped Repsol Honda for Gresini Ducati after 13 years, Laverty feels Marquez is now beginning to understand how his bike can "work to his strengths".

Analysing the race, in which Marquez pulled off a number of exciting overtakes to power to the front, Laverty said: "I think he was wanting to have all his wing appendages off before we got halfway through the race!

"He kept making contact, he did lose the main one, the left side pod, but he just took liberties a bit too much on the front end. But his aggression was brilliant to witness, those overtakes, those contacts. It spurs him on for more.

"He was wanting to win today, he believed in those early laps.

“Obviously, [his crash] was asking a little too much of the front tyre. It lets go. It happens.

“He won’t be losing any sleep over it. He would have loved the battle, as Pedro [Acosta] did.

"He was getting creative with his overtakes, and he's starting to understand how this GP23 can work to his strengths.

"I think today he would have been on the podium if he had made it to the end, but unfortunately he just asked a little bit too much from his Michelin front tyre."

In his post-match interview, Marquez was also looking at the positives.

He said: "Of course we are disappointed, but we cannot change the situation now. We just have to take the positives, that we were fighting for the victory.

"I was travelling quite a lot during the race with that front brake. I was trying to lead the race to see if it was improving but when I arrived on turn 11... yeah, basically when I break the first time nobody was there, and then I break two or three times and then I lose the front.

"Yeah, it's a shame because today the pace was there but take the positives from the weekend.

"At least we were fighting for that top group for the first time in the race, so let's see if we can keep improving for the next races."

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