Francesco Bagnaia continued his dominance in the MotoGP circuit by securing his third consecutive win at Mugello in a thrilling race. The Italian rider displayed exceptional skill and determination, outshining his competitors, with Jorge Martin finishing closely behind in second place.
The race initially saw Bagnaia making a strong start, but his lead was short-lived as Jack Miller quickly overtook him, rapidly advancing from fourth to first position. However, Bagnaia swiftly responded, regaining his lead just one corner later at turn two.
As the race progressed, the pace of the KTM rider faltered, allowing for intense moments on the track. At one point, a near collision loomed as both Marquez brothers and Luca Marini found themselves in a precarious situation.
Alex Marquez pushed too hard, out-braking himself into turn one, narrowly squeezing between his brother and Marini before running wide. Miller capitalised on the opportunity, reclaiming his position, but Marquez remained on the inside, jostling for control.
Meanwhile, Marc Marquez, in fourth place, faced a devastating setback as he crashed out of the Grand Prix for the fourth consecutive time. The crash occurred at the final corner while he was attempting to overtake Marini, but Marquez misjudged his line, losing the front-end and ending his race prematurely.
While Bagnaia and Martin maintained a stable gap of half a second between them, yellow flags were deployed in sector three due to Miguel Oliveira’s crash.
As the race continued, Alex Marquez, who had been in fourth position, made a move to claim third place from Marini on lap 12. However, Marquez ran slightly wide, allowing Marini to regain his position momentarily. Determined, Marquez tried again on lap 13, utilising his better rear grip to close in along the start-finish straight, successfully securing third place.
The battle for victory intensified on lap 14 when Bagnaia, who had initially held a lead of four tenths of a second, unleashed an impressive surge, extending his advantage to over six tenths of a second and ultimately crossing the finish line with a comfortable one-second lead.
The Marquez family’s challenging race took a turn for the worse when Alex crashed out of third place at turn two during lap 15. Despite the setback, Marini, eager to secure a podium finish on home soil, fought hard, attempting an immediate response after making a mistake at the final corner. Although he briefly managed to move ahead of Johann Zarco, the Italian struggled to fend off the French rider for an extended period and losses out his podium spot.
It was a disastrous comeback for the 8-time world champion, Marc Marquez, as the rider was involved in two separate incidents which saw Fabio Quartararo and Takaaki Nakagami ousted in the early stage of the race in Aragon.
Bastianini claimed his third win of the season after overcoming Bagnaia.
Quartararo ousted in the early stage after colliding with Marc Marquez.
Marquez started the race with brilliant speed as the Honda rider moved up from 13th to sixth, coming out of Turn 1.
However, chaos ensues on the exit of Turn 4 with Quartararo riding straight into Marquez’s RC213V, and due to the intense collision, the reigning world champion crashes out.
Due to the substantial damage to the rear of Marquez’s RC213V, the Spaniard unintentionally ran into Takaaki Nakagami’s side, leading to a hair-raising incident for the LCR Honda rider.
Thankfully, Nakagami escaped from being hit by other riders.
Meanwhile, Gresini Racing Ducati, Enea Bastianini finally got the better of factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia to take his third win of the season.
Bastianini overtook Bagnaia in the final lap, something he failed to do in Misano just two weeks ago.
However, unlike Misano, Bastianini has better braking speed coming out of the corner and easily claimed his win in Aragon.
Nevertheless, Bagnaia should feel happy with his result as the Italian is now just 10 points behind Quartararo with five rounds to go.
On the other, Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro also made a brilliant move on KTM’s Brand Binder to claim third despite remaining behind the South African during the majority of the race.
He had won 8 races, finished 2nd four times and retired only once, so far.
It was his 8th world championship in total, 6th in the MotoGP class and the 4th consecutive.
You’d probably heard by now that Marc Marquez defends his title and is the 2019 MotoGP champion. But to put it in perspective, it was his 8th total world championship title, 6 in total in MotoGP and 4th consecutive in MotoGP. He is also the youngest champion to attain those records.
Marquez wrapped up his amazing season in Round 15 at the Buriram International Circuit in Thailand yesterday. He had trailed Fabio Quartararo from the start before making his move on the last lap. Quatararo retook his lead very briefly in the last corner but was overtaken by Marquez.
It was a fitting finish for the champion on his trusty Honda RC213V. Apart for just one retirement in Austin, Texas, the pairing won eight races and finished second in the other four. The are four rounds remaining to the season.
The victory is also a special occasion for Honda as they celebrate the 60th anniversary of Honda Racing.
Marquez had won the title during his first year (2013) in the premier class, making him one of only a handful to have carried such a feat. That win also cemented his place in history as the youngest MotoGP champion.
He went on the rampage in the following year by winning the first 10 rounds consecutively, and ending the year with 13 wins and MotoGP title No. 2.
Marquez would miss out the 2015 championship, but bounced back in 2016 and never looked back since, scoring MotoGP titles No. 3, 4, 5, and 6 yesterday.
Along the way, Marquez and Repsol Honda posted 61 pole positions and won 53 times.
“It is a great feeling to be World Champion with Honda again. 2019 has been one of my most consistent seasons. We fought hard when we had to and all of the team and Honda have done such an incredible job to bring us to this level. Celebrating Honda Racing’s 60th anniversary with the MotoGP title it a great honor and I am pleased I could do this for Honda. I want to thank everyone who has been involved in this season and the fans who always support us,” said Marc Marquez.
Yoshishige Nomura, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) President commended Marquez on his magnificent achievement. “Marc did a magnificent job once again to win his sixth MotoGP title on Honda’s 60th anniversary of World Grand Prix racing. I wholeheartedly salute his dauntless riding that mesmerizes his fans, supported by his persistent training and mature attitude towards racing. I’m grateful for all the support in winning the championship he had from the team staff, the many sponsors who support our racing activities, and MotoGP fans worldwide.”
Marc Marquez is undergoing a six-week recovery after a surgery to his left shoulder.
MotoGP Surgeon, Dr. Xavier Mir was amazed at how the rider won the championship with his damaged shoulder.
The pre-season HRC shakedown run is from 1stto 3rdFebruary.
Marc Marquez had another crazy MotoGP season in 2018 but sealing the championship was what mattered most.
He then went a surgery to correct his left should which he first dislocated in 2013 after the post-season tests at Valencia and Jerez. Dr. Xavier Mir, MotoGP’s surgeon found that the damage required complex surgery to fix. Dr. Mir said after the surgery, “I do not understand how Marc was able to win the world title like that.”
Marquez is now working hard on the road towards full fitness as part of his six-week recovery plan. He needs to be in shape for the first 2019 HRC shakedown test from 1stto 3rdFebruary. The first official pre-season test (Winter Test) is from 6thto 8thFebruary. Both tests will be held at the Sepang International Circuit.
The 5-time World Champion is currently working with physiotherapist Carlo Garcia who is part of the Clinica Mobile medical team.
Marquez suffered recurring shoulder dislocation throughout 2018, including when Scott Redding congratulated him during the celebrations at Motegi.
Avanzando en la recuperación. Primeros ejercicios de estabilidad!
Recovery in progress. First stability exercises!?? pic.twitter.com/j2jKRMdLWQ
5. Carl Fogarty vs. Scott Russell, WSB, 1992 – 1994
There has never been such intense rivalry in WSB since Carl Fogarty and Scott Russell’s in the early 90s.
The two were WSB contenders, with the American Russell winning the 1993 crown on the Kawasaki Ninja ZXR-750, while Fogarty’s (more popularly called “Foggy”) reign started from 1994 on the new Ducati 916. The pair had even refused to shake hands on many occasions. Legend has it that Foggy named his pet pig after his No. 1 rival.
The intense hatred was even brought all the way to America in the 1994 Daytona 200 race which Russell won. They refused to look at each other on the podium and post-race press conference. When answering questions, they reached out to the microphone and yanked it away from in front of another.
4. Valentino Rossi vs. Max Biaggi, 500cc GP, 2000 – 2005
Valentino Rossi had moved up through the 125cc and 250cc GP ranks at a meteoric pace and moved up to the 500cc championship in 2000 and started playing mind games with anyone who had challenged him on track. While he built a massive army of followers worldwide through his on-track and off-track shenanigans, he’s only a friend on the track when results are going his way. It’s also due to his that tribalism exists among MotoGP fans: You’re automatically branded as a Rossi fan-boy if you criticized other riders.
By 2001, he was ready to challenge Max Biaggi after the defending champion, Kenny Roberts Jr. faded. Biaggi, known as the “Roman Emperor” had to show the young punk a who’s top dog.
Courtesy of MotoGP.com
At the 2001 Suzuka 500cc GP race, Biaggi elbowed Rossi onto the grass while the pair was travelling at around 220 km/h. Rossi repassed Biaggi on the next lap and saluted the latter with his middle finger. Both riders were fined and given a stern warning for “unsportsmanlike conduct.” The rivalry came to a head at Catalunya when the two scuffled on the steps leading up to the podium. When Biaggi was asked about the mark on his face, he replied that he was “bitten by a mosquito.”
3. Valentino Rossi vs. Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo – MotoGP, 2007 – 2011
2007 was the year of the 800cc four-stroke machines in MotoGP. Suddenly, it was Australian Casey Stoner on the Ducati who started beating Rossi. Rossi claimed that it was because of the Bridgestone tyres on the Ducati which let Stoner win. Stoner dominated the season by winning ten races and gave Ducati their first and still only MotoGP title.
But things flared up further when the pair battled hard at the 2008 USGP at Laguna Seca. Rossi made an aggressive pass into the famous Corkscrew chicane, causing Stoner to drop his Ducati. Further angering Stoner was Rossi’s comments after the race, “The fight was very funny,” although some thought the Italian meant “fun.” Stoner was of course more caustic in his reply, calling Rossi’s tactics dirty and dangerous.
Stoner moved onto the factory Honda in 2011 and this was the year of another interface with Rossi. At a wet Jerez race, Stoner had been following the late-Marco Simoncelli. Rossi, who was now on a Ducati, lunged up inside Stoner on the way into Turn One, skidded and took both men out. However, all the marshals ran over to assist Rossi while no one did so for Stoner. Again, the Australian went on TV to criticize Rossi, saying “Your ambition outweighs your talent.” Then fans of both camps got involved and it started a war of words on Twitter.
2. Kevin Schwantz vs. Wayne Rainey, AMA Superbikes and 500cc GP, 1986 – 1993
The rivalry between these two legends had begun way back even before we saw them on TV in the 500cc GP. Their intense dislike for each other had started when they were contesting in the United States and what we saw in the GPs was just a continuation.
They had hated each other so much that they openly admitted to barging into each other and riding dirty. Schwantz said, “We would ride each other right into the grandstands.” Their rivalry was so intense they couldn’t look at each other on the podium.
Things took a different turn when Rainey was paralysed by his crash at Misano in 1993. That accident force Schwantz to reflect upon on his own mortality. Besides, with his greatest rival gone, his reason for pushing himself hard was gone too. It was when both riders realized that neither knew why they hated each other.
Schwantz decided the best thing he could do was support Rainey through his hardship and both have become good friends ever since.
1. Valentino Rossi vs. Marc Marquez, MotoGP, 2015 and ongoing
Schwantz vs. Rainey would have been the Number 1 rivalry if not for this very intense and very current state of affairs.
Both riders have been good friends even when Marquez had dominated and won from his very first season in MotoGP. It had seemed that Rossi may have mellowed out somewhat because they remained affable with each other despite a few aggressive passes on-track. However, it all changed from 2015.
Rossi had been battling with Lorenzo all season long and the former led the standings going into the penultimate round in Malaysia. Marquez had been third up to that point and was out of a title shot. Marquez turned up the aggression during the race, passing Rossi in do-or-die situations, while Lorenzo disappeared at the front. Rossi even signaled to Marquez to back off at one point, but there was no end to chopping and cutting off. An exasperated Rossi then pushed Marquez wide, causing the Spaniard to crash.
Rossi would later accuse Marquez of helping Lorenzo to win the title; an allegation Marquez had consistently denied. Many had speculated that Marquez had felt that it was Rossi who had cost him the title that year and was out for revenge.
Rossi was penalized and sent to the back of the grid for the final race in Valencia. He fought his way up the order but lost the title to Jorge Lorenzo.
Both riders made amends at the Catalan GP in 2016. It was a move welcomed by the racing community and fans alike.
But, just as everyone thought that was the end, Marquez did a mistake during the 2018 Argentinian GP which knocked Rossi out. Rossi held a special press conference to call Marquez irresponsible, dangerous and damaging the sport as a whole.
Both riders have yet to talk to each other at the time of this article.
Not too long ago, three time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez took his RC213V MotoGP Honda race machine off-roading on snow and mud with specially fitted tyres. That made for an awesome video which you can watch below, but it didn’t end with just that.
There’s a new video out and this time Marquez goes out on the new Honda X-ADV scooter. He rides the scooter on the snow of the Hahnenkamm mountain in Kitzhuehel, Austria.
It may seem odd to take a scooter off-roading, but the Honda X-ADV was specially designed for just that. The X-ADV is the perfect cross between the comfort and convenience of a scooter, and the spirit and riding performance of an adventure motorcycle. It achieves awesome off-roading capabilities by utilising a tough chassis, long travel suspension, four-piston radial-mount brakes and a torque-laden 745cc twin-cylinder engine driving power through a welt multiplate hydraulic Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT).
The X-ADV also comes equipped with a 5-level adjustable screen, 21-litre underseat storage space big enough for an off-road helmet, Africa Twin hand guards, rally-style instrument display, centre stand, and the Honda Smart Key system.
The Honda X-ADV is also perfectly suited for everyday riding with selectable riding modes for maximum power or fuel efficiency, five-way adjustable screen, 17-inch front and 15-inch rear wheels and topped off with radial-mount four-piston callipers with ABS for maximum braking power.
Whether or not the Honda X-ADV is the perfect off-road scooter remains to be seen, but for now you can watch Marquez ride the X-ADV the way it is supposed to be ridden in the video below:
Marc Marquez got his MotoGP™ World Championship title defence off to the perfect start after the Repsol Honda rider emerged victorious from a closely-fought contest with Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi.
Starting from pole position, Marquez traded places with Rossi at the front of the field numerous times throughout the twenty-two lap race, before Marquez made the race-winning pass in the final stages to take the chequered flag by 0.259 seconds. In third place at the Qatar Grand Prix was Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa who crossed the finish line 3.370 seconds after his teammate.
The track temperature for the race was the coolest recorded over the whole race weekend, with a peak recording of just 20°C which brought with it a spike in humidity levels. This resulted in many riders commenting after the race that grip levels were lower than the Warm Up session four hours earlier. Although conditions were quite cool, only two riders selected the soft compound front slick, with the rest of the grid opting for the hard compound front slick. For the rear tyre, only race-winner Marc Marquez selected the hard compound rear slick for the race, and the medium compound rear was by far the popular choice, with fifteen riders selecting this option. Seven of the eleven Open-class entrants selected the soft compound rear slick for the Qatar Grand Prix. (more…)
MotoGP world champions and teammates Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez trade the comforts of a circuit and their Honda GP bikes recently for some good old dirt and trials bikes. (more…)
Whilst most of his peers undergo surgeries to treat injuries, newly crowned 2013 MotoGP world champion Marc Maquez recently went under a knife for a totally different reason. (more…)
