Rarely has one rider shone so brightly on one motorcycle for so long: 11 seasons, six MotoGP world championships and 59 grand prix victories. Only Giacomo Agostini and Mick Doohan come close. Ago rode MV Agusta 500s for nine years, taking seven world titles and 64 wins. Doohan rode Honda NSR500s for 10 years, five titles and 54 victories.
But what made Marquez's star shine so brightly was the strength of his rivals. The MotoGP grid of recent years has been much stronger than the 500c grid in the 1960s, 1970s and 1990s - and especially how he changed the art of riding a GP bike: tucking the front at every other corner and, when he surpassed the limit, avoiding disaster by using his elbows as outriggers.
Not always of course, during those 11 years aboard Honda's fast and fiery RC213V. He had 196 crashes during MotoGP weekends. Imagine ifHRC published the total crash bill!
Marquez also brought a new intensity to MotoGP. He's often criticised for his aggressive riding but perhaps he had to do crazy things because he never really had the best bike – well, not towards the end anyway. He is MotoGP’s Ayrton Senna: utterly ruthless, whatever he’s riding, winning by any means necessary, his dedication to surpassing the limit almost spiritual, just like Senna’s.
“On a given day, a given circumstance, you think you
