20 Sep, 2021

Moto GP

Marc Márquez fights to the finish for fourth in Misano

There was not a moment’s hesitation when the lights went out, Marc Marquez shooting forward on his RC213V and hustling himself into the top five. On lap four of the race Marquez moved past Aleix Espargaro and up into fourth position with Enea Bastianini launching an assault on the eight-time World Champion just a few laps later. Marquez stayed with the Ducati rider until mid-race when Alex Rins slipped past the #93, but Rins would fall on lap 17.

Steady pace in the latter stages of the race saw Marquez gain on Miller in fourth, the pair joined by defending World Champion Joan Mir as they fought it out to the line. A great final half of the lap saw Marquez gain an advantage on the back straight and used the power of his Honda RC213V to fire out of the last corner and lock in fourth place. This is Marquez’s first back-to-back top five finishes since his return from injury. He holds 92 points and ninth in the World Championship standings.

All five Honda RC213V machines finished inside the points at the San Marino Grand Prix. The riders won’t have to wait long before they’re back on track as the Italian circuit will host a two-day test on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Marc Márquez, 4^th: “I am really happy with our performance today because honestly speaking I was not expecting this result today! At the start I was calm and honestly not riding very fast, but step by step we went faster and our feeling improved. The key point was staying calm in the first laps and pushing at the end, I’m quite proud about the last part of the race because I brought Mir with me. In practice it was a little different, I was following him, but in the race, he was following me and we caught Jack. In the last lap I didn’t feel like I could fight, but Mir and Miller went wide and I saw my opportunity! It was nice and now we get ready for a really important two-day test here.”

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20 Sep, 2021

Moto GP

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13 Sep, 2021

Moto GP

Marc Márquez fights to the flag for a brilliant second in Aragon

A return to the podium with his hardest battle of the year at Marc Marquez keeps his Aragon top-two run alive with his fifth podium in his five most recent races at the track.

Morning fog delayed Warm Up on Sunday in Aragon, but that would quickly burn away as the hottest day of the weekend settled in. When the MotoGP field rolled onto the grid, the track temperature was already closing in on 50°C and the scene was set for what would turn out to be a titanic clash, the hot conditions matching the action on track.

From the second row of the grid, Marc Marquez shot forward and immediately made his presence known in the podium battle with Bagnaia just ahead. These two would remain locked together for the entirety of the race, matching each other’s lap times and eventually opening up a sizable advantage over the battle for third. Marquez spent much of the race behind the Ducati rider, studying and looking for areas of weakness where he could pass later in the race. As the final five laps began, the #93 upped his pace and began to increase the pressure on Bagnaia before exploding into a full assault with two laps remaining.

In the final three laps, the lead changed a total of 14 times as Marquez and Bagnaia battled. In true Marquez-style, the eight-time World Champion refused to give up until the very last moment on the final lap. Rolling out of an ambitious move into Turn 12, Marquez ultimately took a well-earned second place and his second podium finish of the season. This is his fifth consecutive podium at the MotorLand Aragon circuit, and his second since returning from injury in 2021. Marquez now holds 79 points and is tenth overall in the MotoGP World Championship standings.

Now the MotoGP paddock heads directly to Misano for round 14 of the 2021 World Championship.

Marc Márquez, 2^nd: “I pushed hard all race but on the last three laps I really tried everything. Sometimes when you try like this you make a mistake, you crash and the result isn’t good. But I still tried and I think everyone watching it enjoyed a lot! I knew it would be really difficult, fighting against the Ducati is hard because they brake very late and accelerate very well plus today, Pecco was riding in a perfect way. It was a great battle with him, I enjoyed it a lot. After two crashes in a row, it’s not easy to give everything and put it on the line like in this race. In Turn 1 on the last lap I couldn’t stop well and I couldn’t make it happen at Turn 5 either. My last chance was Turn 12 but as soon as I went to the dirty part of the track, I knew it would be impossible and I ran wide. I’m happy because we were able to fight and our race pace was fast and also because this race provides extra motivation to me, to HRC and everyone in the box. Thanks to everyone for their hard work.”

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13 Sep, 2021

Moto GP

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30 Aug, 2021

Moto GP

An early end for Marc at Silverstone

It was a strong start for Marc Marquez as well behind his teammate, the eight-time World Champion keeping position among the leaders. Contact with Jorge Martin sent Marquez wide soon after, the pair coming together again soon after and both falling. This would end Marquez’s race. Unharmed, the #93 returned to the garage to debrief with his team before heading to apologise to Martin and his Pramac Racing Team for the contact. Marquez is now refocusing himself on the upcoming race in Aragon, his home round.

Although ultimately on race day it proved to be a weekend of two halves for the Repsol Honda Team, Marquez showed significant and consistent speed over the course of the GP. Round 13 will be at the Aragon circuit, a track where the RC213V has excelled – having taken seven wins from the 12 Grands Prix held there since 2010.

Marc Márquez, DNF: “First of all I want to say sorry to Jorge Martin, already I went to him and his team to say sorry after the race. It was my mistake; I was too optimistic with that overtake. Races are sometimes like this and today it was me who made the mistake. Overall the weekend has been quite good as we have been fast in a lot of sessions, even after a big crash on Friday. It’s a shame to make this mistake in the race because we had the pace to do something interesting here today.”

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30 Aug, 2021

Moto GP

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15 Aug, 2021

Moto GP

Marquez chases victory in Austria

Marc Marquez and the Honda RC213V showed their speed with an incredible race around the Red Bull Ring that was left ultimately unrewarded.

Eyes were again turned skyward as the grid formed up just before 14:00 Local Time, ominous grey clouds and occasional spots of rain making many nervous, but the Austrian Grand Prix was ultimately declared a dry race. Marc Marquez saw his chance and shot forward off the line, battling the fast-starting Ducatis into the first corner. After the opening corners the #93 settled into his rhythm, picking off Zarco and Martin and edging towards Bagnaia in the lead with Martin in tow.

The gap between the leading trio of Bagnaia, Quartararo and Marquez yo-yoed throughout much of the race but with seven laps to go, Marquez had his first taste of the lead. Then the rain came. In true Marc Marquez style, the eight-time World Champion attacked and opened a lead as the rain began to fall harder, until it reached a tipping point and he pulled into the pits with four laps remaining for his wet bike. Unfortunately, a fall at Turn One two laps later would end Marquez’s incredible victory challenge, rejoining the race to collect a single point for his incredible effort. Marquez rates this Sunday as his best of the season, able to battle for victory in the dry and make significant improvements over the previous weekend.

After two intense weeks in Austria, the championship will resume in Silverstone on August 27 for the British Grand Prix – the MotoGP World Championship returning there for the first time since 2019.

Marc Márquez, 15th: “In the situation we are in this year, I prefer to fight for victory or with the top riders in the dry than to even win a wet race or a flag-to-flag. So today I enjoyed the race a lot, I really felt competitive, and we were right there and able to fight. Pecco was riding really well, but I was with him and at the end I felt something special. Before the race it looked like the rain could help me, but finally it was the opposite! We made a big step this weekend but there’s still more we need to find. We struggled here last weekend, we understood why and we improved. I am happy about today’s race, it’s only one point but I really enjoyed getting it. This is my best Sunday of the year.”

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15 Aug, 2021

Moto GP

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08 Aug, 2021

Moto GP

Repsol Honda Team endure difficult Styrian Grand Prix

Wet morning Warm Up saw Marc Marquez and his Repsol Honda Team RC213V shine as the #93 topped the session. A 1’31.403 put him 0.048s clear of Miller and over a quarter of a second ahead of the rest of the field, but as the grid formed up for the race, the weather was still undecided as clouds loomed. Declared a dry race, Marquez seized the moment off the line to fight forward and join the leading group. But an incident at Turn 3 after just a few laps brought out the red flag and the race was stopped.

Marquez’s restart again saw him gain ground off the line, but he would drop back after contact into Turn 1. Falling as low as 14th in the opening laps, the eight-time World Champion rallied to recover throughout the race. Picking his way through and avoiding mistakes, Marquez eventually took eighth at the flag. A lack of traction and feeling with the new set of tyres for the restart left Marquez a second slower per lap than in practice.

There are only a few days to rest before the action resumes at the Red Bull Ring next weekend for round 11 of the 2021 MotoGP World Championship. Determined to improve, the Repsol Honda Team are straight back to work analysing the weekend’s data with the aim of doing better in a week’s time.

Marc Márquez, 8^th: “I am happy with the weekend; our pace was good and I was riding well. But I am not happy with the race. In the first race I was feeling really good, and I thought ‘this is my race’. In the second race we changed tyres and already on the out lap I could feel something strange. There was a lot of spinning and I couldn’t find any grip. I tried to cool the tyre a bit and then push again but I was one second slower than during practice. All we could do was finish the race and try to show our true performance next weekend. In the first race I was optimistic when I passed Aleix and touching was more my mistake, in the second race I had a better start and was inside and in front but then he released the brakes and turned in so I had no space and made contact, losing time. This is racing, it happens.”

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08 Aug, 2021

Moto GP

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27 Jun, 2021

Moto GP

Charging Marquez salvage top-ten finisher in Assen

An incredible charge through the field from Marc Marquez at the Dutch TT delivered seventh from 20th on the grid.

Round nine of the 2021 MotoGP World Championship was held under clear skies at the historic TT Circuit Assen, the Repsol Honda Team lining up on the grid as they prepared for an uphill challenge. The morning started well with both Marc Marquez finishing the morning Warm Up in the top ten and displaying promising pace. Early fears of rain soon vanished as the grid formed up for the 26-lap Grand Prix later in the day.

Marc Marquez was unstoppable off the line as he jumped up the order when the lights went out, ending lap one in 12th after starting down in 20th on the grid. Within just three laps Marquez had made up a total of ten positions as he attached himself to the group at the front and settled in for the race. Consistent pace and mistakes ahead moved Marquez up the order until the second half of the race when he began to attack and slid past Aleix Espargaro for seventh. Their battle would reignite in the closing laps, the Honda RC213V gaining the advantage on the final lap. His charge through the field would leave Marquez with a seventh-place finish after starting in 20th, making up 13 places over the course of the race – a strong finish after his hard fall on Friday.

The MotoGP World Championship will now enjoy the mid-season summer break, returning to action at the Styrian Grand Prix on August 08. For the Repsol Honda Team it offers a chance to regroup and attack the second half of the season after a difficult start to 2021.

Marc Márquez, 7^th: “I am very happy today, sure if you check the result and see seventh it’s not too impressive but when you start from 20th on the grid, it’s not too bad. I was pushing a lot in the opening lap and I was up to 12th. Then I made a mistake in the middle of the race and lost contact with the front group. From then I just focused on coming back and I was able to ride well until the end with a nice battle with Aleix Espargaro in the last laps as well. I was destroyed physically so could not challenge Pecco more. When I came back to the box I said thanks to the team and Honda because after Friday’s crash, they gave me the confidence again by changing some parameters with the TC and I was able to ride well. The potential of the bike was a podium if we had started in the front. Now for the summer break, time to rest and recover and come back stronger for the second half of the season.”

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27 Jun, 2021

Moto GP

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20 Jun, 2021

Moto GP

SachsenKING – Marc Marquez wins again

For the 11th consecutive time in his career, Marc Marquez stole the show at the Sachsenring and returned to the top step of the podium 581 days after his last win.

There was no stopping Marc Marquez as the lights went out at the Sachsenring, the 10-time German GP winner shooting forward and moving into second by the second corner. By the end of the first lap, he had moved into the lead and defended a brief challenge from Aleix Espargaro. Consistent pace saw the eight-time World Champion steadily grow his lead, falling rain drops only spurring him on. As the race crossed over half-distance, Miguel Oliveira emerged as Marquez’s closest rival as the Portuguese rider traded fastest laps with the race leader.

Intense pressure and a strong ride from Oliveira pushed Marquez right to the end of the race, but 336 days after his injury at the 2020 Spanish Grand Prix, Marc Marquez was a race winner once again. It is his 11th straight win in Germany and the 11th consecutive win for a Repsol Honda Team rider at the circuit, ending a 21-race run without a victory. With his 96th premier class podium, his 57th win in the class, Marquez moves ahead of Doohan for most premier class podiums – fourth overall.

The next race is right around the corner as the World Championship heads north to Assen, The Cathedral, for round nine of the World Championship. Marquez is eager to get going once again and head into the mid-season summer break on a positive note.

Marc Márquez: “This is one of the most important, and hardest, moments of my career. Today I knew there was a great opportunity to do something. When I crossed the line I just enjoyed it and then arriving with my whole team there, emotional, it helps a lot after such a difficult situation. It’s impossible to come back alone, you need people, you need a good team, a good team of doctors, a physio, Honda, Honda respect me a lot. Alberto Puig, Emilio Alzamora, my family, they helped me a lot. Now it’s time to enjoy this weekend, we were looking for a petrol station but now we found one and the fuel tank is full again. It’s extra motivation for me, for Honda, for the engineers, for the team and let’s see what the future brings. When I saw some drops of rain on lap four of five, I said; it’s my race. I started pushing at this point and then when it started to rain harder, I pushed even more and then the second race with Oliveira began. He pushed so hard and was very fast, it was hard to keep concentrated because all the memories, everything I have lived over the last year, came into my mind. But we did it. We will do it again.”

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20 Jun, 2021

Moto GP

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17 Jun, 2021

Moto GP

Marc Márquez’s “RETRO” helmet for the German Grand Prix

Marc Márquez will wear a special “Retro” helmet this weekend at the German Grand Prix, a very special track for the Cervera-born rider, where he has achieved a total of 10 consecutive victories from 2010 to 2019.

With the design of this helmet, Marc wants to pay homage to motorsport in its essence, Marquez wants to evoke the purest form of motorcycling, going back to the late 70s and early 80s. A time with great legendary champions valued around the world, where the image and heroics of racing began to grow, and the design of the helmets became a key attribute of the rider on the track.

The helmet that Marc Márquez will wear emulates the design of that time with a “Retro” style from forty years ago. An eroded aesthetic, as if the helmet had been designed forty years ago and is being used once more after being stored away for decades, will debut in 2021 in Germany.

Marc Márquez:

“I’m really excited to be able to wear this special ‘Retro’ helmet on one of my favorite circuits. I wanted to honor the legendary riders of the late 70s and 80s by designing a helmet, and in conjunction with my designer Dave Designs, we thought that a characteristic design that evoked the helmets that were worn at the time, was a beautiful way to pay this tribute to them.”

More information:

The prestigious Japanese brand Shoei Helmets will produce two replica helmets of this new Marc Márquez design. One with the NXR-2, Shoei’s most recently launched model, and the other with the Glamster model, the Neo-Classic helmet of the Japanese brand. All fans who wish to can purchase them at the beginning of next year, 2022, when they will go on sale.

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17 Jun, 2021

Moto GP

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06 Jun, 2021

Moto GP

DNF in Barcelona for Marc Márquez

The MotoGP paddock arrived to dark clouds hanging over the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya but the rain remained at bay. After a productive morning Warm up, where Marc Marquez finished eighth, the scene was set for the Catalan GP.

Marquez was aggressive from the off in the race, working hard to advance up the order and not let the leaders escape. By lap three, Marquez’s RC213V was up to sixth and looking strong. Unfortunately a mistake at Turn 10 would cost Marquez his race as he fell, unable to re-join.

Both Repsol Honda Team riders escaped injury in their falls and will be back out on track tomorrow, Monday, for a one day test before having a week off to refocus before the German GP on June 20.

Marc Márquez: “My intention today was to start well and push because I thought maybe the others would try to manage their tyres. I gave everything in the beginning because if I didn’t do this, I wouldn’t have slept well today. Ok, I crashed but I showed to myself that I can do it, so this was one positive. Instead of finishing in 12th or 13th place, today was the day to take some risks. Tomorrow we have a test, it’s an important day – more important than today. We keep working and never give up.”

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06 Jun, 2021

Moto GP

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03 Jun, 2021

Moto GP

Repsol Honda Team aim to regroup in Barcelona

After a difficult Italian GP on and off the track, Marc Marquez is looking to get back to work and back to where they know they can be.

The Circuit de Barcelona-Montmelo will host round seven of the 2021 MotoGP World Championship, the Barcelona track a mainstay of the Grand Prix calendar. 2021 presents a revised layout around Turn 10 for riders to now master, the changes made to improve safety. The 24-lap MotoGP race on Sunday is sure to be another thrilling affair as the season continues to rapidly progress.

For the first time since returning from injury, Marc Marquez will race on back-to-back weekends. This presents a unique test for his physical condition and the eight-time World Champion is ready to take the weekend as it comes. Throughout his premier class career, Marquez has twice won the Catalan GP and only missed the podium on one occasion – in 2015 when he fell while battling for the lead. Marquez’s objective for the weekend remains the same as he looks to improve both himself and the Repsol Honda Team RC213V over the course of the Grand Prix.

Marc Márquez: “Although our last race was not good, overall Mugello was a weekend with some positives for us as it was quite consistent. We know where we are, we know where we want to go and we will keep following the correct steps week by week. In Montmelo it seems that there will be some fans in the grandstands again, the fans give a great atmosphere, and it will be very nice to see some people in the stands again at the home GP.”

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03 Jun, 2021

Moto GP

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