TOKYO (Reuters) - Marc Marquez knows his Honda team would love to celebrate winning the MotoGP title on home turf at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday but the Spaniard is offering no guarantees.
Victory at Motegi would seal a third consecutive MotoGP crown for the 25-year-old and tie him with Australian Mick Doohan as the third-most successful rider in history with five premier class world titles.
Only Italian pair Valentino Rossi (seven) and Giacomo Agostini (eight) have more.
Marquez is 77 points clear of Italian Andrea Dovizioso with four races, each offering 25 points for the win, remaining.
"I know and I understand that it will be really important for Honda to try and celebrate something big on Sunday,” Marquez said at the firm’s headquarters on Tuesday.
"But it will not be easy because Dovizioso is really, really good, really, really fast and he is very competitive."
Marquez, who could clinch the title even if he does not win on Sunday depending on where Dovizioso finishes, secured the 2014 and 2016 crowns in Japan, though his rival also has form at Motegi, winning last year's race.