Marquez refuses to pass Martin in Mandalika MotoGP qualifying

Deliberately sitting behind a title rival in qualifying is a calculated move, not a passive one — Marquez is managing the psychological game as much as the championship points. By refusing to give Martin a clean tow or a reference lap, he forces his rival to do the work without knowing exactly what Marquez has in reserve. It's the kind of gamesmanship that only makes sense when you're close enough to the lead to play it, and it signals Marquez sees this fight as winnable on more than just pace.