Marc Marquez wary of over confidence in MotoGP title battle

Marquez went from being 10 points behind Jorge Lorenzo to leading by 48 over the course of the three pre-summer-break races at Barcelona, Assen and the Sachsenring, in which he finished second twice and won in Germany.

Reigning champion Lorenzo struggled during those events, and his Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi heads to the Red Bull Ring next weekend a further 11 behind.

But while Marquez acknowledges that the advantage is beneficial, he knows he can't afford too many slip-ups.

"Maybe in this part of the championship I haven't been the fastest rider on the track, but I was the most consistent, completely the opposite to last year," he said of his run into the break.

"So I'm very happy. But we can't forget that the second part of the season will be tough.

MOTOGP STANDINGS

"When you are leading with this gap, you are confident, but you must be careful not to be extra confident.

"In 2014 I was leading with a lot of points, more than now, but I crashed two races in a row - Misano and Aragon - and I lost 50 points.

"So we must take care because we are just in the middle of the season.

"What's happened so far can be the opposite. There will be more races in wet conditions, and we must manage those well."

Marquez has adopted a new, more conservative mental approach in 2016, after crashing out of string of races last year while trying to drag speed out of his troubled Honda.

He said the Japanese manufacturer has been part of that process in his fourth season in MotoGP.

"When you are on the bike it's difficult to think about it, but when you are at home and you take time in the winter it's much better to analyse the season, to analyse your mistakes," he said.

"You must listen to the people around you, and the people around me and Honda give me good advice, which I try to follow.

"Even if you win the championship two times it's better to listen to the others and try to learn."