M
arc Marquez has now
won the first five races
of this season as if by
right. He's on target to win a
whole lot more. Possibly even
every race of the year. His rid-
ing combines daredevil speed
with increasingly mature tac-
tics. It's quite something to see
in action.
He's raised the standard of
MotoGP racing, reintroduced
overtaking, and demonstrated
that the past few years of excel-
lence weren't really that excel-
lent after all. Looks as though it
could go on for years.
It could, of course, also
change at a single stroke. Let's
hope not, for his sake at least.
The thought of a new spell of
dominance and predictability
has alarmed some racing fans.
Some even talk of it as "bor-
ing." As if this level of riding
could ever be so described.
Some others are less
alarmed. They enjoyed it when
Valentino Rossi dominated,
and most of them have already
noticed that Marquez is at least
half as lovable as his predeces-
sor, and potentially his equal
BY MICHAEL SCOTT
CN
III IN THE PADDOCK
WHEN SECOND BEST
IS THE BEST YOU CAN GET
P134
