Marc Marquez Wins Valencia Grand Prix to End Another Stellar MotoGP Season with a Bang

Posted on November 18, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Marc Marquez has ended his MotoGP season with a bang…

The 26-year-old Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, rounded out a memorable season with a dominant victory at the Valencia Grand Prix as fellow home favorite Jorge Lorenzo’s final race ended with a disappointing 13th-place finish.

Having already sealed his sixth MotoGP world championship, Marquez’s 12th win in 19 races in the last round of the season also ensured the teams’ trophy for Repsol Honda.

Fabio Quartararo started on pole but after being passed by Marquez was unable to keep pace with the brilliant champion and crossed the line second ahead of Jack Miller.

Marquez’s teammate and three-time MotoGP champion Lorenzo announced his retirement earlier in the week and the 32-year-old, having qualified 16th, was unable to make significant headway on a cold and windy day in Spain.

Quartararo quickly regained the lead out of the second corner having seen Miller make a flying start off the line, as Marquez began slowly.

The world champion wasted little time slaloming his way back through the pack, though, and by the end of the end of lap two was second and in pursuit of Quartararo.

It must have felt like deja vufor the Frenchman, who has been denied a win in his rookie season on a couple of occasions by Marquez, and there was an air of inevitability when the brilliant Spaniard stole the lead.

With 20 laps to go, Marquez sent his Repsol Honda down the inside from way back at Turn 11 and quickly set about opening up an unassailable gap.

Further down the pack, Johann Zarcowas taken away from the side of the track on a stretcher after a hugely unfortunate incident.

Danilo Petrucci, Zarco and Iker Lecuonaall came off their bikes independently at Turn 6, but the latter’s bike wiped out an unaware Zarco leaving him clearly winded, with television images later showing the Frenchman back in the garage with no apparent major damage.

The rest of the race passed by without major incident as Marquez coasted to an astonishing 18th top-two finish of another memorable campaign, surpassing 400 points in the process.

TOP 10

1. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda)
2. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha) +1.026s
3. Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) +2.409s
4. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) + 3.326s
5. Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) + 3.508s
6. Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha) + 8.829s
7. Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar) +10.622s
8. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) +22.992s
9. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) +32.704s
10. Pol Espargaro (KTM) +32.973.

TITLE STANDINGS

Riders

1. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) 420
2. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) 269 (-151)
3. Maverick Vinales (Yamaha) 211 (-209)
4. Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) 205 (-215)
5. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha) 192 (-228)

Teams

1. Repsol Honda 458
2. Ducati 445 (-13)
3. Monster Energy Yamaha 385 (-73)
4. Petronas Yamaha 307 (-151)
5. Suzuki Ecstar 301 (-157)

Marc Marquez Becomes Youngest Rider to Win Four MotoGP World Championships

Posted on November 13, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Marc Marquez has earned a spot in the annals of sports history…

The 24-year-old Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer became the youngest rider in MotoGP history to win four world championships on Sunday at a dramatic Valencia MotoGP.

Watched by a crowd of 110,000 at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, the race pitted Marquez, a rider for Repsol Honda, against Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso.

Marquez finished in third place, while Dovizioso retired after crashing into the gravel late into the race, ensuring Marquez, the defending world champion, retained his crown.

It was a tense finale at the end of a close-fought 2017 MotoGP season.

Marquez was defending a 21-point championship lead over Dovizioso heading in the 18th and final race and sped into an early lead from pole position.

Marquez sensibly let combative Frenchman Johann Zarco through to head the race. Behind them, Marquez’s Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa and the two Ducatis of Jorge Lorenzo and Dovizioso gave chase.

For long periods, it appeared that Lorenzo was inexplicably holding up his teammate. Signals from his crew seemed to be imploring the Malaga man to allow Dovizioso through, but to no avail.

Meanwhile, Marquez followed Zarco at the front, apparently content to let the Frenchman pursue a maiden premier class win. However, as the laps ticked down, Marquez ran out of patience and swept by, only to lose the front end of his Honda in the following corner.

It was the kind of moment that has come to define his career.

As his bike began to slide from beneath him, Marquez jammed an elbow into the tarmac, lifting the Honda back onto its wheels. The bike hit the gravel, but Marquez somehow managed to maintain control and re-join the race, in fifth place.

Shortly after though, Lorenzo and Dovizioso’s races ended. Lorenzo spectacularly crashing out, while Dovizioso — like Marquez — succumbed to the lure of the gravel. Unlike his rival though, he was unable to keep his bike upright.

Pedrosa denied Zarco his first MotoGP win, with last year’s Moto2 champion finishing second. Marquez clawed his way back to third, meaning he could celebrate his championship win from the podium.

Marquez’s victory was his fourth in five years in motorcycling’s premier class and his sixth world title overall — he won the 125cc class in 2010 and the Moto2 crown two years later.

“I’m living a dream,” Marquez told reporters after the race. “‘Six Titles’ are big words.”

“Today the race was incredibly tense and exciting — a bit ‘Marquez Style’,” he laughed. “I made a mistake, but I also made my best save of the year.”

Pedrosa was aghast at his teammate’s save: “It was incredible. The smoke, the noise, the speed — wow, impressive!”

Dovizioso was philosophical about his season. “I tried everything and I think that we have to be pleased with this weekend. We weren’t as quick as Marquez but we fought to the very end,” he said.

“I put myself in the right position but, unfortunately, I didn’t have many cards to play.”

He also rubbished suggestions that Lorenzo had held him up. “In the end staying behind him helped me ride in a smoother way, so it was positive he was in front of me,” he explained.

Marquez Wins Japan MotoGP to Clinch Third MotoGP Title

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Make that three for Marc Marquez…

The 23-year-old Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer clinched his third MotoGP title in dramatic fashion on Sunday with a big win at the Japan MotoGP as his closest title rivals Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo both crashed out.

Marquez, a rider for Repsol Honda, now has an undisputable 77-point lead over Rossi in the championship with three rounds still remaining after his triumph at Motegi, the home circuit for his team’s manufacturer.

Rossi, an Italian legend, had started from the pole position and was involved in an exciting duel with Marquez until an early trip to the gravel ended his chances of a 10th world title.

Rossi’s teammate Lorenzo, the reigning world champion, was left as the only man who could deny his fellow Spaniard Marquez the title, but while in second place, he too made a painful exit.

It left Marquez to ride to his fifth win of the season and a third world title in four years in the premier class of motorcycling.

With the Yamaha challenge over, Andrea Dovizioso took a fine second for Ducati with Maverick Vinales of Team Suzuki completing the podium with another fine ride.

But all eyes were on Marquez, who admitted he hadn’t expected to clinch the championship, the reality only sinking in after Lorenzo exited in dramatic fashion.

“When I saw Rossi out I thought ‘ok, the old style can come back and I’ll go for the victory!’ Then Lorenzo crashed and I missed a lot of gears when I realized what it meant,” he told the official MotoGP website.

Losing the crown to Lorenzo in 2015 as a two-time reigning champion had also acted as a big motivation for Marquez this season.

“It was a big price I paid — losing a title last year — to learn what I know now. I felt more pressure this year and it was hard to manage throughout the season,” he admitted.

But manage he has, as his rivals Rossi and Lorenzo began to feel the pressure, Marquez’s key victory in the previous round at Aragon paving the way for his eventual triumph Sunday.

It is the fifth world title for Marquez, who won earlier championships in the 125cc and Moto2 classes before graduating to MotoGP with such success at such a young age.

Marquez Wins German MotoGP for Seventh Straight Year

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Marc Marquez is once again the MotoGP meister…

The 23-year-old Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer opened up his lead at the top of the MotoGP standings with his fourth straight victory from the pole position at the German Grand Prix in Sachsenring.

With rain falling before the race, pole-sitter Marquez struggled from the start and dropped down to fifth – with his Honda unable to keep up with the Italian pair of Andrea Dovizioso and Valentino Rossi at the front of the field.

However, with the track drying out the Spaniard came into the pits for slick tires and it proved to be the catalyst for what, across all class of racing, was his seventh consecutive victory at the Sachsenring.

The afternoon proved to be a good one all round for Marquez, whose main title challenger Jorge Lorenzo took one point, with the reigning champion finishing down in 15th on his Yamaha.

It was better news for Britain’s Cal Crutchlow who, like Marquez, made plentiful progress in the wet conditions and collected his first podium of the season by guiding his Honda to second place.

The third step on the podium went to Dovizioso but it was Marquez who was left celebrating yet again in Saxony as he stretched his lead in the championship to 48 points ahead of the next race at Austria’s Red Bull Ring next month.

The next race takes place on August 14 in Spielberg, Austria.

Lorenzo Claims MotoGP World Title with Win at Sunday’s Valencia Grand Prix

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Jorge Lorenzo has added another world title to his racing resume…

The 28-year-old Spanish professional motorcycle road racer won his third MotoGP title with a victory at the season-ending Valencia Grand Prix on Sunday, as Valentino Rossi failed to make up enough ground on his Yamaha teammate from the back of the grid.

Lorenzo entered the race trailing Rossi by seven points, but the veteran Italian couldn’t manage more than a fourth-place finish.

Rossi, who needed second place to guarantee the title, started last on the grid because of a penalty for kicking Marc Marquez in the previous race.

After the checkered flag, Rossi went on a rant against Marquez and accused him of protecting his fellow Spaniard in the last three races of the season.

Lorenzo finished with 330 points, five more than Rossi, who was trying to win his eighth world title and the first since 2009.

“This was one of the toughest races, if not the toughest of my life,” Lorenzo said. “The tension and the pressure was very high from the first corner, but I tried to push to the limit, like I usually do.”

Lorenzo added to his MotoGP triumphs in 2010 and 2012, after wins in the 250cc category in 2006 and 2007.

He started from pole position and stayed in front at the Ricardo Tormo circuit outside Valencia. He grabbed Spain’s flag and rode with it around the track in his victory lap.

“It was very emotional. I was crying throughout the victory lap,” he said. “What we achieved today is huge after a very difficult season. Five times now. I’m very proud to have won this world title for Spain.”

Marquez, the winner of the past two MotoGP championships, finished the race behind Lorenzo in second, but he never tried to make a significant move for the lead.

Dani Pedrosa, winner of two of the past three races, was third to close out the all-Spanish podium.

“I was riding over the limit,” Marquez said. “I was preparing the attack for the last two laps, but Dani overtook me, and we lost time. Second place is not the best way to finish the season, but next year, we will be back to try to fight for the title again.”

Rossi said Marquez was protecting Lorenzo.

“Today was embarrassing for everybody because it was unbelievable. The behavior of Marquez is something very bad for everything, especially for the sport,” Rossi said. “I hope that he will understand what he did in these last three races in the future of his career. At the end, I think that also Lorenzo have to not be very happy, as it is not a championship that was won on track.”

Lorenzo had a clean start, but Rossi quickly moved up the field behind him and had already reached 10th place just two laps into the 30-lap race.

Rossi continued to press forward and got to fifth after 10 laps, but he couldn’t make much ground after reaching fourth place two laps later. His only chance was if something happened to the riders ahead of him. He could have won the title if both Marquez and Pedrosa passed Lorenzo at the end.

There was extra interest in the Valencia GP after Rossi had a role in Marquez’s crash in Malaysia two weeks ago and also accused him of trying to favor his fellow Spaniard in the title race. Rossi appealed his penalty to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but his request was denied a day before the first practice session Friday in Valencia.

Lorenzo hadn’t won since the Aragon GP four races ago, but he had finished on the podium every time since then. The Yamaha rider ended the year with seven victories, including all four races in Spain.

The 36-year-old Rossi won four races and had only three podium finishes since he won the British GP six races ago.

It was the second time Rossi entered the season-ending race with the points lead but failed to win the title. He was surpassed in the standings by American Nicky Hayden in 2006 after falling early in the decisive race in Valencia and finishing only 13th.

Márquez Pulls Off Stunning Last-Lap Win at the Australian MotoGP

Posted on October 18, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

He may be the reigning MotoGP world champion but Marc Márquez is still registering firsts in his career…

The 22-year-old Spanish motorcycle road racer pulled off a spectacular final lap to take the lead from Jorge Lorenzo three corners from home on Sunday for a thrilling victory at the Australian MotoGP, his first-ever win at Phillip Island.

The race featured repeated changes of placings among the leaders: Marquez, his Spanish compatriot Lorenzo, Italy’s Andrea Iannone and overall championship leader Valentino Rossi.

Marquez, on a Honda, wrested the lead from Lorenzo with 10 laps remaining but Lorenzo, riding a Yamaha, reclaimed first place three laps later and seemed bound for a win which would have slashed Rossi’s championship lead.

But Marquez ducked through on the inside at the bottom of Lukey Heights on the last of 27 laps and went on to win by 0.25 seconds from Lorenzo, Iannone and Rossi.

Marquez had struggled with an overheated front tire and had fallen almost a second behind Lorenzo at the start of the last lap. But the Spaniard, whose Repsol Honda had been fastest in all four practice and qualifying sessions leading into the Grand Prix, produced a track record 1 minute, 29.280 second final lap to charge into the lead.

Lorenzo held on for second, 0.7 seconds ahead of Ducati rider Iannone who produced the best race of his short career to keep Rossi off the podium.

Rossi’s overall championship lead was cut to 11 points with two races remaining, at Sepang, Malaysia next weekend and at Valencia, Spain on November 8.

Marquez is a further 63 points behind Lorenzo in third place and may surrender his world title, though he was delighted to celebrate his first win in Australia.

“During the race I felt well but at the beginning there were many overtakes between me, Valentino, Andrea and Jorge who opened some gaps,” Marquez said. “Then I pushed a little bit to catch Jorge and it looks like I overheated the front tire.

“I had a lot of movement when I tried to open a gap and I tried to cool down but it was not there. In the last lap I said `okay, I will push’.

“Andrea did overtake me and then on the last lap I pushed 100 percent. I didn’t expect to overtake Jorge but I’m really happy with this victory because we’ve pushed really hard and the races are not coming but this victory is really nice for us.”

Lorenzo was struck by a seagull during the race but continued to push hard for the win.

“I spent some laps behind Marc and I saw he had some problems of traction in some areas,” he said. “So I thought if I push very hard he might make a mistake.

“But he made an unbelievable last lap, he made a record of the track and I tried to close the door on the last braking but he was too good.”

Lorenzo Races to the Title at the Aragon MotoGP

Posted on September 28, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Jorge Lorenzo is racing closer to the top in the race for the MotoGP title.

The 28-year-old Spanish professional motorcycle road racer took the lead at the start of the Aragon MotoGP on Sunday and held on for victory after Marc Marquez‘s early fall to move closer to points leader Valentino Rossi in the title race.

Marquez went down just two laps into the race while trying to reach Lorenzo and had to retire.

Rossi was edged out of second after a fierce battle with Dani Pedrosa on the final lap.

Lorenzo moved to within 14 points of Rossi with four races to go. Two-time defending MotoGP champion Marquez, who abandoned for the fifth time in 14 races, dropped 79 points behind Rossi in third place.

Marquez was trying to become the youngest rider to reach 50 grand prix wins.

Lorenzo won his 31st MotoGP race, and 60th overall in all categories, a feat only four other riders have attained.

“It was a good start, it was important to get ahead of Marc and lead the first laps,” Lorenzo said. “It was very hard to stay in front so when I saw that Marc had crashed I started breathing a little easier. He was doing all he could to stay close and I think he ended forcing too much.”

Lorenzo started second with his Yamaha, behind pole-sitter Marquez, but was already in front of his fellow Spaniard before the first turn at the 5.1-kilometer (3.1-mile) MotorLand circuit.

The next MotoGP race is October 11 in Japan.

Lorenzo Wins Czech Grand Prix to Tighten MotoGP Championship Fight with Valentino Rossi

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

It’s Czech Mate for Jorge Lorenzo.

The 28-year-old Spanish motorcycle road racer won the Czech Grand Prix on Sunday for his fifth triumph of the season to tighten the MotoGP championship fight with Yamaha teammate Valentino Rossi.

Lorenzo and Rossi lead the overall standings with 211 points and seven races to go. Defending champion Marc Marquez is 52 points back.

Lorenzo with the Movistar Yamaha team covered 22 laps of the 5.403-kilometer (3.358-mile) Brno circuit in 42 minutes, 53.042 seconds for his 38th overall MotoGP victory.

With a perfect start from pole, Lorenzo took the lead, followed by Marquez, and gradually sped away, steadily stretching his advantage throughout the race.

“Luckily, I had a little bit more pace than Marc and I could win this very important victory … because now I’m leading the championship with Valentino,” said Lorenzo, the 2010 and 2012 MotoGP champion. “For Marc, it’s now more difficult to recover.”

Marquez finished second, 4.462 seconds behind and is 52 points back in the standings.

Marquez, who won the last two championships, finished second, 4.462 seconds behind.

“I just tried to keep the distance from Valentino,” the Spaniard said. “Today, I did the maximum. I’m happy for the result.”

Starting third on the grid, Rossi dropped to fifth after the start before quickly rallying to third. He crossed the line 10.397 back. Andrea Iannone on a Ducati was fourth followed by Dani Pedrosa, the Honda Repsol teammate of Marquez.

The next race is the British Grand Prix on August 30.

Marquez Races to Victory at the German Moto Grand Prix

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Marc Marquez continues his winning ways in Germany…

The 22-year-old Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer and current MotoGP world champion beat Dani Pedrosa for a Repsol Honda 1-2 at the German Moto Grand Prix on Sunday, claiming his sixth straight victory in as many visits at the Sachsenring.

Marquez crossed the finish line in 41 minutes, 1.087 seconds to maintain his run of German victories, all from pole position, after wins in MotoGP (2013, 2014), Moto2 (2011, 2012) and 125cc (2010).

“From the beginning I felt good and when I had the gap I just tried to manage it,” Marquez said.

It was the Marquez’s second victory of the season. Compatriot Pedrosa was 2.226 seconds behind.

Italian nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi finished third, 5.608 behind, to stretch his lead atop the MotoGP standings to 13 points over Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo, who was fourth, almost 10 seconds back.

“I tried to battle but (Pedrosa) was too quick,” Rossi said. “Anyway, it’s another podium, I gained three points on Jorge which is important for the championship. We know that we always suffer here against the Hondas.”

Marquez is 65 points behind Rossi at the halfway stage of the championship and faces a battle to keep his world title even after his 21st Moto GP win.

Italy’s Andrea Iannone and British riders Bradley Smith and Cal Crutchlow were all well back in fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively.

Marquez Wins the Malaysian Grand Prix to Equal Mick Doohan’s MotoGP Record

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Marc Marquez is back to his winning ways…

The 21-year-old Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer, who won his second MotoGP championship title in as many seasons three races ago in Japan, came in first on Sunday in a tight race at the Sepang Circuit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Marquez has struggled in the last couple of months, but managed to return to the top of the podium after a hard-fought victory.

Marquez’s 12th win of the season ties him with legendary Australian Mick Doohan, who won 12 of 15 races in 1997. Marquez has won 12 of 17 races this season, with only Valencia left to close out the schedule on November 9.

“I’ve equaled Mick Doohan’s record,” he told reporters after the race. “With one race left, maybe I can beat it. If I had a bad result here the pressure in Valencia would be more.

“But now I am free in Valencia and I can do well for my fans and just enjoy it.”

The Honda rider fell back as far as ninth at the start, but was back up to third by the second of 20 laps around the 3.4-mile track. He pulled away from Yamaha teammates Valentino Rossi of Italy and Jorge Lorenzo of Spain to cruise to a comfortable 2.445-second winning margin.

With Marquez’s victory, Honda claimed its 21st Contructor’s Championship at motorcycle racing’s premier level for road bikes.

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