Marc Marquez’s Misano MotoGP win was his fifth of the season and came after an important mental breakthrough.

Marquez’s MotoGP season has been conditioned by the strength in his right arm. After winning at the left-handed Aragon circuit at the end of August, he posted a photo on social media highlighting the difference in muscle mass between his left arm and the injured right.

After dominating the Aragon weekend, the photo turned out to be another key mental step for Marquez to take, and left him “free” for the Misano race, where he took a second straight double and the championship lead with it.

“I felt free, relaxed, especially the mentality was flowing,” said Marc Marquez of his MotoGP weekend at Misano, speaking to MotoGP.com’s After the Flag post-race show.

“I was very convinced of what I need to be fast. It’s true that it helps that the speed was good from FP1, and from that point I just tried to ride in the best way possible. 

“[In the Sprint], we won by strategy – choosing the medium [compound] rear tyre – and today Marco [Bezzecchi] did the mistake and we tried to just take that benefit.”

Marquez was then asked if this was the first time he’d felt “free”, as he put it, this season.

“Yes,” he responded, adding that he was able to progress his mentality at Aragon, and then again in the week after the race there. 

“In Aragon already I did a step in my mentality. 

“Then, what happened after Aragon [the photo Marquez posted on social media highlighting his right arm], the week after, helps me to just concentrate and to be relaxed, and to be open to everybody that I will try to [give my best] with what I have, and it’s what I’m doing. 

“That thing gives me the feeling I believe I need to fight for the championship.”