MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez ominously said he is confident with the race pace he possess after firing his Repsol Honda to pole position around the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit in Argentina.

Despite a chain coming off his first bike during PF4, Marquez still managed to stick his RC213V on pole, ahead of Maverick Vinales and Andrea Dovizioso.

Marquez admitted he was happy to secure the pole, in no small part due to feeling happier with his race pace opposed to his single lap pace.

“It has been a very good weekend, but of course tomorrow is the most important,” said the seven-time World Champion.

“Today in FP3 I feel really strong then in FP4 we had a small issue and all the team reacted really good. We prepared the other bike and maybe it’s not the best strategy, because we planned really well for FP4 and quali. We tried some things and understand the most important things.

“Then in quali I tried to push because I knew that the other riders would be close, because in one lap I struggle a little more than in race pace, because the set up of the bike is completely different.

“I’m happy on the race pace I feel strong and this is the most important and tomorrow let's see.

“Lets wait on the weather and understand what the track conditions are.”

Despite having much stronger race pace than a lot of his rivals, Marquez fully anticipates both men on the front row, as well as Valentino Rossi and Cal Crutchlow to be in the mix come race day.

“Cal had the same problem as me, in one lap struggling a little bit more, but in race pace he will be there,” he said. “Then it’s these two guys [Dovizioso and Vinales] plus Valentino. Looks like they are the strongest ones.

“It’s then just try to understand the track conditions because it's changing a lot. In the morning it’s changing a lot in the morning the grip was different to the afternoon. Every time there is more and more rubber on the track and the grip is better.

“Honestly I felt better yesterday, the gap was bigger because the grip was less and then I feel like its easier to ride, but apart from that today the pace was good and they will be there. Let's see what strategy we can use.”

Forecasts are for rain to come at some point on race day, although whilst unconfirmed what time it is due, Marquez said if it is wet, he just hopes that it is wet for warm up too.

“If tomorrow it rains, it will be a question mark for everybody, even for me, but also for the others,” said Marquez.

“Because nobody rides in the rain, but we hope that if it’s a wet race, that in minimum we have the warm up in the wet because then we can try a few things, we can see the limit of the track, the grip but we will see.”