Ever since I saw this kid winning in Texas in 2013 (pic below showing the difference in riding styles b/w him and his teammate), I was hooked. Watching him mature last year and this year has been sensational. Three seasons ago he was rash and overriding an okay bike. Last year he learned to take what he's got and get the best out of it. This year was more of the same, but with more verve at the end of races. He's not perfect, but he's the complete package. I think he'll end up my favorite motorsports personality. Of course, he is 24, so he has plenty of time to disappoint me - like Rossi did in Malaysia 2 years ago... I watched him wreck this weekend with 2 minutes left in qualy, and not only did he get hurt or shake his head or slump his shoulders. He booked it back to the pits and got his backup bike out for a shakedown lap in the dying seconds. Crazy. And then when he avoided falling in T1 with 6 laps left, I have NEVER seen a rider lay down the bike and pick it back up and ride on. Another one for good measure:
I see him with a laughibg and with a crying eye. His abilities a sa driver are absolutely outstanding, stuff never been seen before. Maybe a bit roo stubborn or aggressive, but he matures more and more in his driving style. I just cant relate to him sadly. I like Pedrosa, Rossi, Dovi,... These are cool guys from what ive experienced. Lorenzo, Marquez are really not my cup of tea outside the track
The big problem here is that eventually this will catch up with him. Crashing this much every year he will do a serious injury to himself eventually. I get why he does it, but there is nothing more after this, you can't ride at the limit endlessly and get away with it for years and years. What you are seeing here is a guy riding at the limit almost continuously. He dropped it in Valencia as he lost concentration, he admitted that later. I remember listening to Hodgson in 2003 saying he followed Rossi in testing and was just so clear that here was a man riding at 99% al the time, rarely going over it. Marquez rides at 100% every time and that means he has no margins. No-one can do more in he future, this is the peak, it's impossible to ride harder. He rarely loses the rear, always the front, and that means the crashes are less damaging, but one day...
Marquez is already a Moto GP legend. Yes he's crazy and rides at 100% most of the time. But I think he can do 120%. Anyway I want him and Rossi to try the Isle of Man TT. That place sorts out the men from the boys.
or Macua... which start in about 45 mins just been watching the 2 days of testing for next year in the moto gp... so many laps...
Kevin Schwantz rode a Pepsi RGV500 round Macau, and became a God in my eyes for even thinking about it!
