Valentino Rossi calls Marc Marquez's MotoGP deficit 'unbelievable'

After dominating the 2014 season, Marquez has only won once in the opening six grands prix of this year's campaign.

Crashes while battling with Rossi at Termas de Rio Hondo and with Andrea Iannone at Mugello plus Honda falling behind Yamaha on raw pace have combined to leave Marquez 49 points adrift.

Rossi admitted he was stunned to see Marquez so far behind, but is certain it is only a matter of time before he rediscovers his 2014 pace.

"The situation of Marquez is unbelievable now," he said.

"Nobody expected it - that after sixth races, he'd be in fifth position.

"But we're speaking about Marc Marquez and a factory Honda.

"I think they have some problem now - technical, balance of the bike or something - but they can recover very very fast and come back as strong as last year.

"So it's not closed for sure."

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Rossi's team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, who has won the last three straight races, said Marquez's performance in coming from 13th on the grid to second before his accident showed his speed certainly had not diminished.

"A lot of champions have become champions recovering more points than Marc has to," said Lorenzo.

"We have to understand that it's the sixth race, we have 12 more.

"Anything can happen - we can break engines, make mistakes and Marc can win like I did - three in a row.

"He recovered in two laps all the positions that he was behind on the grid [at Mugello]."