Spain’s MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez has become the first rider in history since Giacomo Agostini in 1970 to win the first 10 races of the season when he won at Indianapolis on Sunday.

The 21-year-old also matched Repsol Honda predecessor Mick Doohan‘s ten successive wins during 1997. With talk of a perfect 18-round sweep increasing, the man himself insists it would be ‘so difficult’.

“Every weekend I say, ‘ok, here is maybe the time to finish second or third. Here will be the time where I struggle’. But every race I feel so strong,” Marquez replied when asked to sum up his success.

“The most important thing is that I enjoy it and like we saw on the podium the team enjoys every victory like the first one, which keeps the motivation and concentration.

“But it will be so difficult to win every race. Next is Brno, later Silverstone. Two tracks where last year we struggled a little bit more and Yamaha is strong. Anyway we will go there and the first target will be to try to win the race, of course.”

Given all the uncertainties involved, winning every race remains a huge task, but even the most conservative estimate would put Marquez on target for 14 victories. The all-time MotoGP record is twelve wins in a season, by Doohan in ’97.

Marquez’s latest triumph took on a familiar format: A low key start, during which his chief rivals frantically exchanged blows at the front, followed by an inevitable rise to the top.

The victory pass, on lap 11 of 27, was typical of Marquez’s spontaneous race craft. One moment he was trying to defend second place against Jorge Lorenzo, the next he had overtaken both Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi in a single move.

“I was behind Valentino on the straight. I wasn’t able to overtake him on the slipstream. For some reason Yamaha was quite strong here on the straight and instead Jorge overtook me,” explained Marquez.

“At the second corner I tried to repass Jorge, but I saw Valentino was also a little wide so I thought ‘ok, I’ll go in’. I went a little wide but then I came back at Turn 3 and after that I led the race. I thought that was the time to push because Jorge was also strong.”

The Spaniard maintained a small buffer, crossing the line 1.8s clear of Lorenzo, with the other Movistar Yamaha of Rossi in third.

Marquez has extended his championship lead to 89-points over team-mate Dani Pedrosa, who concluded an off-form weekend in fourth.

Indianapolis MotoGP result:

1. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 42m 7.041s

2. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 42m 8.844s

3. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 42m 13.599s

4. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 42m 17.057s

5. Pol Espargaro ESP Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)* 42m 24.848s

6. Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1) 42m 26.645s

7. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 42m 27.800s

8. Cal Crutchlow GBR Ducati Team (Desmosedici) 42m 46.837s

9. Scott Redding GBR Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RCV1000R)* 42m 47.548s

10. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R) 43m 2.801s

11. Karel Abraham CZE Cardion AB Motoracing (RCV1000R) 43m 12.171s

12. Mike Di Meglio FRA Avintia Racing (Avintia)* 43m 12.387s

13. Colin Edwards USA NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) 43m 15.960s

14. Michael Laverty GBR Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART) 43m 16.244s

15. Broc Parkes AUS Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM-ART)* 43m 37.654s

Leon Camier GBR Drive M7 Aspar (RCV1000R) DNF

Andrea Iannone ITA Pramac Racing (Desmosedici) DNF

Aleix Espargaro ESP NGM Forward Racing (Forward Yamaha) DNF

Stefan Bradl GER LCR Honda MotoGP (RC213V) DNF

Danilo Petrucci ITA IodaRacing Project (ART) DNF

Hector Barbera ESP Avintia Racing (Avintia) DNF

Yonny Hernandez COL Pramac Racing (Desmosedici) DNF

Alvaro Bautista ESP Go&Fun Honda Gresini (RC213V) DNF

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: