Marquez: Improved form has Dovizioso suffering less in title fight

Dovizioso opened his 2019 campaign with a narrow win over Marquez in Qatar, and followed that up with third place last time out in Argentina after losing out to Valentino Rossi in the fight for second, while Marquez scored a dominant win.

The Ducati rider described that result as "huge", as the Termas de Rio Hondo track has traditionally been among the hardest on the calendar for the Italian manufacturer.

Speaking in Sao Paulo last week, Marquez acknowledged Dovizioso's improved Argentina form as a signal that he his managing to limit the damage better than he did last year.

"The victory in Argentina was very easy, but during the season it will not be like this," said Marquez, who beat Rossi by almost 10 seconds at Termas.

"Dovizioso is my strongest opponent. He comes from two very good years with good experience.

"I think Dovizioso is getting better in the bad points that he had.

"He had three or four tracks that were bad for him in the last two years, and this cost him a lot of points.

"He worked a lot in this part and now he is better, he is more constant.

"This makes him more dangerous for the championship, because he can suffer less. He already got a third in Argentina, a podium.

"I did this in the last few years, [learning to] suffer in the best way possible. We had to know how to suffer in tough tracks and attack where we needed. I think this year will be like this.

"You have to have speed, but also cold blood and not fail at any circuit."

Marquez added that the inconsistency of Yamaha means Dovizioso is likely to be his main threat, ahead of Rossi.

"Yamaha with Valentino is not so constant, but can be fast.

"The curious thing is that each year the names are the same. Last year we finished the season with Valentino, Dovi and myself [in the top three]. Now we are there again."

Marquez holds a four-point lead over Dovizioso in the championship ahead of this weekend's third round of the series at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.