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 Races to Fifth Consecutive Title at MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas

Posted on April 24, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Make that cinco for Marc Marquez…

The 24-year-old Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, a three-time MotoGP world champion, won his fifth consecutive MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas on Sunday.

Marc Marquez

Marquez earned his 30th career MotoGP win and his ninth in a row on American soil dating back to 2013.

The victory also gets the Repsol Honda rider back into the season title chase. Movistar Yamaha‘s Maverick Vinales, who won the first two races of the year, crashed early and didn’t finish. With Vinales out, teammate Valentino Rossi took over the top spot with a second-place finish that made him the points leader as the series heads to Europe.

Marc Marquez

Marquez started from pole position. Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa grabbed the early lead through the first turn and held it until Marquez passed him with 13 laps to go in the 21-lap race.

Marquez has started from pole position in each of his Texas wins and has rarely faced a challenge to the checkered flag.

Rossi leads the season title chase with 56 points, six ahead of Vinales. Rossi, 38, has seven career MotoGP championships but none since 2009.

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.

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.”

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.

Pedrosa Ends Marc Marquez’s MotoGP Streak with Win at Czech Grand Prix

Posted on August 18, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Dani Pedrosa has stopped Marc Marquez’s impressive MotoGP run…

The 28-year-old Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer won the Czech Grand Prix on Sunday, ending the defending world champion’s season-long winning streak.

Pedrosa, who rides for Repsol Honda, covered 22 laps of the 3.358-mile Brno circuit in 42 minutes, 47.800 seconds for his 26th MotoGP victory.

Starting fifth, Pedrosa took the lead after overtaking Jorge Lorenzo with 17 laps remaining before cruising to victory.

“Overall I had a good experience at this track,” Pedrosa said. “It’s a little difficult when Marc is winning all the time so I’m very happy.”

Lorenzo finished second, 0.410 behind, and his Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s teammate Valentino Rossi was third, 5.259 seconds behind Pedrosa. Rossi competed with a left little finger injury he sustained in a crash on Saturday.

Marquez came fourth, finishing 10.454 behind the leader.

After winning all 10 previous MotoGP races, Marquez was seeking a record 11th victory. He started on pole but gradually dropped to sixth before rallying to third but Rossi passed him with 10 laps left.

“The Clinica Mobile made a good setting with the finger,” Rossi said. “I’m happy, I finally get to beat Marquez for the first time and I want to be fast in Silverstone.”

The next race is the British Grand Prix on Aug. 31.

Marquez still comfortably leads the overall standings with 263 points and seven races remaining. Pedrosa, his Honda teammate, is second with 186 and Rossi is third on 173.

Márquez Makes History While Claiming His Ninth Consecutive MotoGP Title

Posted on July 14, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Marc Márquez remains the man to beat in the MotoGP race…

The 21-year-old Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and current MotoGP world champion won the German Grand Prix on Sunday for the fifth time in as many visits to make it nine victories from as many races in his MotoGP title defense.

Márquez, at age 21, is the youngest rider ever to win nine consecutive races.

He finished comfortably ahead of compatriots Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo. Valentino Rossi was fourth.

The start of the race was disrupted by rain, and the podium finishers started from the pit lane after switching from a wet set-up to dry.

“I was worried about the back of the track initially and in the end my strategy was to copy Dani and Rossi, my main rivals for the championship. I followed them,” said Marquez.

Home favorite Stefan Bradl led the early laps but his bike was not set up for the drying conditions and the German rider finished a disappointing 16th.

Marquez, who had claimed pole position, cut through the pack before pulling clear with Repsol Honda teammate Pedrosa, who ultimately finished 1.466 seconds behind. Lorenzo was 10.317 seconds off the winning time.

“The race was nice in the beginning because I overtook several riders and then I had a good battle with Dani. I’m really happy for this victory. Now we can relax a bit,” said Marquez, referring to the summer break.

Marquez stretched his lead in the standings to 225 points, ahead of Pedrosa on 148 and Rossi on 141.

Marquez Cruises to Eighth Consecutive MotoGP Win This Season

Posted on June 29, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Marc Márquez maintains his undefeated run in MotoGP action…

The 21-year-old Spanish motorcycle road racer and current MotoGP world champion outlasted Italy’s Andrea Dovizioso to take Saturday’s Dutch Grand Prix, making it eight straight victories as he defends his title.

Márquez is the first rider to win the first eight races of the year since Giacomo Agostini did it in 1971.

As he crossed the finish line he lay flat on his bike and made swimming motions with both arms and legs, to the delight of the crowd.

With the track drying after several showers, tire choices were a crucial factor. Márquez began with intermediates but both he and Dovizioso switched to a dry kit early on. The colorful Marquez hopped from one bike to another like a cricket during the unusual pit stop.

“I was very nervous before the race,” Marquez said. “The conditions are what no one wanted, very dangerous.” He said the tire choice was “the key decision.”

“It was hard going from wet to dry. But I felt better with each lap.”

Aleix Espargaro had won his first ever pole position but finished fourth.

Dovizioso took the lead after a Marquez steering mistake took him off the track. But Marquez kept his Honda upright and continued the race — and he had better speed. He tucked inside Dovizioso neatly on a curve to take the lead with 11 laps to go.

Dovizioso eventually finished 6.74 seconds behind. Marquez’s Repsol Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa was third.

Marquez leads with 200 points in the overall standings, while Rossi and Pedrosa both have 128. Doviziozo is fourth with 91, Jorge Lorenzo fifth with 81.

Marquez Continues His Perfect MotoGP Season with Italian Grand Prix Victory

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s an unbelievable start of the MotoGP season for Marc Marquez…

The 21-year-old Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and current MotoGP world champion won the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday with a picture perfect pass at the start of the final lap to extend his flawless start to the MotoGP season.

With his sixth consecutive victory, Marquez became the first rider since Valentino Rossi won seven straight in 2002 to take six or more successive races.

Marquez started on pole but trailed Jorge Lorenzo for much of the race before finally passing his fellow Spaniard on a straight with seven laps to go.

The pair then traded the lead several times before Marquez finally surged in front for good around the outside of the Mugello circuit’s first turn.

“This was the toughest race of the year,” Marquez said. “I think it was a great show.”

Marquez, who rides for Repsol Honda, clocked 41 minutes, 38.254 seconds. Lorenzo finished 0.121 behind and seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi was third, 2.688 back.

Spanish rider Tito Rabat won the Moto2 race to extend his championship lead with his third victory of the season.

Italian teenager Roman Fenati took the Moto3 race, celebrating the home victory on a specially designed bike in national colors red, white and green.

A last lap crash between championship leader Jack Miller, Alex Marquez — Marc’s younger brother — and Enea Bastianini saw them all miss out on the points.

Next up is the Catalonia Grand Prix in two weeks.

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