There’s a new kid on the block – and the world of motorcycling already can’t have enough of him.
Baby-faced Spaniard Marc Marquez on Sunday became the youngest MotoGP champion in the history of motorcycling and in the process injected a fresh burst of life into the sport struggling to cope with the untimely retirement of Australian star Casey Stoner and the waning prowess of the legendary Italian Valentino Rossi.
Although his compatriots Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa are stars in their own right, it was clear motorcycling needed someone with the kind of magnetism only a chosen few are blessed with. Based on the evidence so far, the 20-year-old seems to have all that, and much more.
In his rookie year, Marquez set the demanding tracks around the world on fire to beat Freddie Spencer’s 30-year-old record from 1983 when the American won his maiden crown at the age of 21 at Imola. Like Spencer, Marquez too did it on a Honda, finishing third in the last race at Valencia to win the world championship with 334 points, four ahead of twice former winner and Yamaha rider Lorenzo, and 34 in front of Pedrosa.
Marquez started from his ninth pole position of the year, but played it safe by avoiding a thrilling tussle between defending champion Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa, who went on to finish the race first and second.
It was the first time since 2006 the title fight had gone down to the last race, but with a bit of luck Marquez could have nailed it earlier having led by 43 points after the race in Malaysia before his disqualification in Australia. With Lorenzo winning both in Australia and Japan, Marquez’s lead was reduced to 13 points before the rookie kept his cool and completed the task in Valencia.
Marquez’s victory was remarkable for another reason – he won only six races, including four at a stretch. Lorenzo won eight, but still had to be content with second. It proved that Marquez is not just a speed merchant on a mean machine, but had a mature head on his shoulders.
The Catalan-born Marquez also became only the fourth rider in the 65-year history of Grand Prix racing to win world titles in three different categories, along with Mike Hailwood, Phil Read and Rossi.
“It was the longest race of the year for me,” Marquez said. “I was very nervous at the start. I know I had said I wasn’t, but I was.”
After the race, Marquez went over to where his fans were massed waving red flags emblazoned with his number 93. He punched the air and bowed. It could become a familiar scene over the next 10 years.