VOL. 50 ISSUE 50 DECEMBER 17, 2013
Nowhere did he demonstrate
his ability to learn quickly more
than at Le Mans. He'd ridden a
MotoGP bike in the wet "just a
few laps" at Jerez, just to get a
bit of a feeling for it. Practice was
dry, but he got another 11 laps in
wet morning warm-up. Marquez
started from pole, and all but
spun out into the barriers right
there. He ended the lap in eighth,
and was stuck there through a
spell of high adventure as he had
several narrow escapes including one run-off.
"In the beginning maybe I tried
And how: on lap eight he set
to push too much, I lost many fastest lap so far and forged
seconds," he said. "Then I could through to third place.
take that feeling I found in the
He added in a hefty dose of
luck.
warm-up."
have been guides. The way they work
together has been very compatible,
but with Marc's talent, he probably
would have made it anyway."
He made his Grand Prix debut on
a 125 KTM at the age of 15 in 2008
at the Portuguese GP (qualified 26th,
finished 18th). His first points came
at the next round, in China, his first
rostrum soon after, but he had to wait
until 2010 for his first win. The first of
10 that year, and his first World Championship.
On to Moto2, where his reputation
for ruthless riding was established
directly. He almost certainly would
have won the title but for an episode
that shows it has not been primroses
all the way.
The season ended with the blackest time of his young life, after a fall
on his first out lap in Malaysia – on an
un-flagged pool of water – caused eye
damage that left him out of action for
the closing rounds. And potentially for
P55
Yes. He's World Champion.
Nobody can live at maximum
risk without paying the price, and
Marquez recorded 15 falls in the
year. By comparison his title rivals
Lorenzo and Pedrosa clocked
Marquez, Lorenzo
and Pedrosa – it's
good to be Spanish.
ever. He was suffering
double vision, and it
was a huge relief when
it was finally cured by
delicate laser surgery.
He was back the
next year to barge and
charge – but mainly
just run away to take a
dominant Moto2 title
before moving on to
greater glory in 2013.
Alzamora's observations about his
precocious maturity still ring true now
he is on the verge of turning 21. He
may still live at home where (he laughingly admits) he still has to clean his
own bedroom, but he dealt with the
ups and downs of his year in a consistently grown-up way. As his English improved with some serious application,
a cheerful disposition emerged, along
with an obvious sheer enjoyment of
everything that is happening to him.
By year's end, the volume of his
fans was rivaling that of Rossi. This
too he dealt with calmly. "It is good to
have fans. It shows you did your job
well," he commented.
Wish him well, in the years to
come, as the burden of success
grows heavier.
