1,043 days later, “the alien » Marc Márquez once again performed the “robot dance”, a small sarabande with which he rewards his fans with each of his MotoGP victories. By winning in 1Ahem In September, at the Aragon Grand Prix, for the sixtieth time in his career, almost three years after his last success, the Spanish driver silenced those who had buried him too quickly.
Especially since the “Hormiga de Cervera” – who is only 1m 69 tall and lives in this small town near Barcelona where he was born – did it again the following Sunday at the San Marino Grand Prix, at the end of a great comeback. At 31 years old, the six-time world champion is once again frightening. On Sunday 22nd September he will try to confirm during the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix that he is making one of the most beautiful comebacks in the history of motorsport.
At the start of the season, observers of the premier class of motorcycling predicted a continuation of the duel between the Italian Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia, double world champion, and his Spanish rival Jorge Martin. With seven stages left in a championship that includes twenty, the two men are effectively neck and neck at the top of the standings.
The Madrid native leads the standings with 321 points, four more than the Turin native. But, after his victory in San Marino, Marc Márquez is now stalking him with 265 points and the end of the season seems increasingly uncertain. Especially since the official Ducati team announced on June 5 that it had signed the Catalan rider.
“In 2025, it will be explosive!”
Next season, Marc Márquez will team up with Francesco Bagnaia and, above all, will have the best bike on the grid, just like his two rivals. Having moved from Honda, with whom he won all his titles, to the modest Italian team Gresini, the Catalan is riding the 2023 version of Ducati this year. A competitive bike but one that does not benefit from the latest innovations from the Bologna manufacturer.
“ Ducati hired him because they believe he is the best, and it is better to have him with you than against you because he knows how to make a machine evolve. comments Christian Sarron, 250cc world champion in 1984. “In 2025, it will be explosive, expands former driver Régis Laconi, winner of the Valencia Grand Prix in 1999. The championship will be even more exciting with his return to the top. He has rebuilt himself mentally. It’s a miracle! »
In fact, we are talking more about a resurrection than a rebirth, as the long journey of the Spanish ant seemed like an ordeal. Since his accident in Jerez, Andalusia, on July 19, 2020, the Catalan has suffered multiple falls and relapses, putting his health at risk, and sometimes that of his competitors, which has earned him some tenacious enmity in the paddock.
You have 48.54% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
