On crossing the finish line at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana, this morning, Marc Márquez was crowned 125cc World Champion aged just 17 years and 264 days. This milestone makes him the youngest Spanish rider to claim the world title, taking over from another Repsol rider, Dani Pedrosa, and the second youngest rider in the history of the championship, behind Loris Capirossi, who was champion in 1990 aged 17 years and 165 days.
This is just one of the many records that this rough diamond is collecting, who debuted in the world Championship with Repsol two years ago and has not stopped polishing up his skills to shine in his own light since then, pulverising all the statistics within his reach. In his debut season in the world championship (2008), Márquez missed the first two Grand Prix races through injury. However, in his sixth race, he claimed his first podium finish. It was on 22 June 2008, in the British Grand Prix, held at Donington Park. Aged 15 years and 126 days, Márquez became the youngest Spanish rider to finish in one of the three places of honour and the second youngest rider in the world, only beaten by the Colombian rider Ivan Palazzese.
Three years in the Motorcycling World Championship
In the saddle of a KTM at a much lower level than those of his rivals, for two years he left hints of his talent. Evidence of this is the pole position achieved last season at the legendary Le Mans track, in the French Grand Prix. Once again, Márquez’ name went down in motorcycling history, this time as the second youngest rider in history to come first in a qualifying session, aged 16 years and 89 days, behind Marco Melandri, who achieved this aged 15 years and 346 days.
However, it has been this season in the saddle of a Derbi RSA and with the same advantages as his rivals that Marc Márquez has revealed his full potential, demonstrating what he is capable of under the same conditions. He had led qualifying sessions and races last season but too much impetus and bad luck, such as mechanical break downs and falls, prevented him from opening his list of victories. This year, during pre-season testing, he already managed to beat the Jerez circuit record, although in the first race (Qatar) he was left wanting more and in the second (Jerez), a broken exhaust pipe left him out of combat with a dislocated shoulder that affected him in the following race.
But in the fourth race of the year, the Grand Prix at Mugello, history changed. Marc Márquez recovered from a significant disadvantage after a bad start and after fighting in the group of favourites, he prevailed at the finish line by 39 milliseconds. A victory that lifted the lid off the essences of rider who has showed no mercy to his rivals, claiming twelve pole positions, ten victories, eight fastest laps, 151 laps in the lead and 310 points.
Records to dream of
Never before had a rider achieved such domination at such an early age. For example, Márquez has taken four pole positions and five victories in a row, times with which the Repsol rider has pulverised records held since 1997, held by a teenager called Valentino Rossi. He has finished the season with no less than 12 pole positions, outright record in the class with which he matches Mick Doohan, who also started from the front spot of the 500cc grid twelve times, all of them consecutive, in 1997. With times like these, Márquez has beaten champions like Wayne Gardner and Freddie Spencer, authors of 10 poles in the 500cc class in the seasons ’85 and ’87, or Anton Mang, who also claimed 10 pole positions in the 250cc class in 1981.
Race after race and despite dislocating his should mid-season (Brno), Márquez has continued to add not only pole positions but also 10 victories, which put his name among the top ten riders in motorcycling history who have achieved the most wins in a single season. Mick Doohan holds the overall record with 12 wins in 500cc in 1997, followed by Giacomo Agostini with his 11 wins achieved in 1972 in 500cc, as well as 10 victories in seasons ’68, ’69, and ’70. Valentino Rossi ranks third with 11 victories in 1997 in 125cc and another 11 in seasons 2001, 2002 and 2005, in 500cc and MotoGP. Daijiro Katoh also took 11 wins to secure his 250cc world title in 2001, while Mike Hailwood (250cc), Anton Mang (250cc), Fausto Gresini (125cc) and Casey Stoner (MotoGP) reached ten wins in 1966, 1981, 1987 and 2007, respectively.
With statistic like these, Marc Márquez’ victory in the 125cc World Championship this season has not only confirmed the Repsol rider as one of the biggest promises in Spanish motorcycling but also as one of the shining stars in motorcycling today, who has earned a place among the greatest of all time.
Achievements:
First Grand Prix: 13 April 2008 – Portuguese GP.
First victory: 6 June 2010 – 17 years and 110 days. (8th youngest, behind Lorenzo and Pedrosa; and Scott Redding, who heads the list).
Number of GP starts: 46
Victories: 10
Second places: 0
Third places: 4
Podiums: 14
Fastest laps: 9
Poles: 14
Total score: 467 (63 + 94 + 310)
Laps 1st: 151
Kilometres: 5,436 (+ 508 testing in July in Aragón)
Pre-season: 799 KM
– Second youngest World Champion in history aged 17 years and 264 days, behind Capirossi (1990, aged 17 years and 165 days), beating Dani Pedrosa, who is the second and up until now youngest Spanish World Champion.
– Second youngest rider to take a World Championship podium (Donington, 22 June 2008), behind Ivan Palazesse (15 years and 77 days, only 49 days younger than Marc). First Spanish rider.
– Second youngest rider to take a pole (Le Mans, 16 May 2009), aged 16 years and 89 days, behind Marco Melandri, aged 15 years and 346 days.
– Youngest rider to take four poles in a row, also beating Rossi.
– Youngest rider to take five wins in a row, beating Rossi.
– Rider with the most poles (12) in a single season in the history of 125cc.
