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Marc Márquez

Spanish motorcycle racer (born 1993) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Marc Márquez
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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Márquez and the second or maternal family name is Alentà.

Marc Márquez Alentà (born 17 February 1993) is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle road racer who races for the Ducati Lenovo Team. He previously raced for Honda's factory team from 2013 to 2023, and for the Ducati satellite team Gresini in 2024. Widely considered one of the greatest motorcycle racers of all time, he has won nine Grand Prix World Championships, including seven in the MotoGP class (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2025).

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As a teenager, Márquez won the 125cc World Championship in 2010, and the Moto2 World Championship in 2012. He moved into the MotoGP class in 2013 to ride for Repsol Honda. He won the title on his debut, becoming the first rider since Kenny Roberts in 1978 to win the premier class title in his rookie season, and the youngest to win it overall, at 20 years and 266 days.[1] He received the Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year following that season.[2] In 2014 Márquez defended his title dominantly, winning the first ten races of the season back-to-back.

Márquez was ruled out of championship contention early in 2015 due to a series of crashes, with the season overshadowed by his tumultuous feud with Valentino Rossi.[3] In 2016, at the age of 23, Márquez equalled the all-time Grand Prix record for pole positions.[4] He secured a further four consecutive championships in 2016, 2017, 2018, and a particularly dominant 2019. He became the youngest rider to win his seventh and eighth Grand Prix championships. At the delayed 2020 season-opener in Jerez, Márquez crashed and broke his right arm. A premature attempt to return to competition further damaged the arm, and he sat out most of the season due to three surgeries.[5] The injury continued to plague Márquez in 2021, and despite winning races in Germany, Austin, and Misano, he finished the season seventh.

Márquez underwent a more successful fourth surgery on his arm at the Mayo Clinic in 2022. Struggling with an increasingly adrift RC213V, Márquez severed his four-year contract with Honda in 2023 and joined the satellite Gresini Ducati team for 2024.[6] Márquez won his first race for 1,043 days in Aragon with Gresini, and claimed further wins in Misano and Phillip Island. He finished the championship in third place and negotiated a factory Ducati contract for 2025.[7] In 2025, Márquez finally recovered full form. After winning 11 races and 14 sprint races, he clinched the championship with 5 rounds to spare at Motegi. His six-year drought between titles was the longest in history, and at 32 he became the oldest rider to win the premier class title in the four-stroke era. His younger brother Álex Márquez was runner-up, making them the first siblings to place first and second in the premier class.[8] Márquez's 2025 season was rated by his peers as one of the greatest sporting comebacks of all time.[9][10]

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Early life

Márquez was born to parents Roser Alentà and Julià Márquez on February 17, 1993, in Cervera, Catalonia. Márquez received his first dirt bike, a Yamaha PW50, at age four, and quickly took to competitive motocross racing.[11] He finished runner-up in the Catalan junior motocross championship in 2000, and won it in 2001. That year he also began road racing, which soon became his full-time discipline. In 2003 Márquez raced in the Open RACC 50cc series, and won the title at his first attempt.

In 2004 Márquez graduated to a 125cc bike. He raced in the Catalan 125cc championship, with Pol Espargaró as his teammate. Márquez finished runner-up to Espargaró in 2004, and won the championship in 2005 and 2006. In 2006, Márquez also made his debut in the 125cc Spanish Road Racing Championship (CEV), where he finished eighth. He was disadvantaged due to his size: at twelve years old, he was 1.29 m (4 ft 3 in) tall and weighed just 29 kilos. His team fitted his bike and leathers with 21 kilos' extra weight to compensate.[12] He finished the 2007 season ninth after several crashes, but showed enough potential to move into the world championship for the 2008 season.[13]

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Career

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125cc World Championship

2008

Márquez made his championship debut on 13 April 2008 as a KTM rider at the 125cc Portuguese Grand Prix, aged 15 years and 56 days.[14] In just his sixth race in the category, at the British Grand Prix, Márquez came third. He became the youngest Spanish rider to take a podium in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. He was the only rider of a non-Piaggio bike to achieve a podium all season, and finished ranked thirteenth in the standings.

2009

In 2009, Márquez scored another podium with a 3rd place at Jerez. He achieved his first pole position at the French Grand Prix at 16 years and 88 days, becoming the youngest Spanish rider to take pole in a motorcycling world championship. He took a second pole position in Malaysia, but retired from both races. Márquez finished ranked eighth in the standings, 21 places above the other KTM bike.

2010

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Márquez at the 2010 Dutch TT

Márquez received a much faster Derbi bike in 2010, which he rode for Red Bull Ajo. He promptly took two podiums in the first three races, and on 6 June, Márquez won his first Grand Prix race at Mugello. He immediately followed this with victories at Silverstone, Assen and Barcelona, becoming the youngest rider ever to win four successive races.[15] With yet another win at the Sachsenring, Márquez became the first rider since Valentino Rossi in 1997 to win five successive races in 125cc racing.[16]

Márquez faltered across the next four rounds, winning in Misano but struggling in Brno and Indianapolis. After retiring from Aragon due to an accident with Randy Krummenacher at the first corner, he dropped to third in the standings behind Nicolás Terol and Pol Espargaró.[17] Márquez then claimed another four successive wins, in Motegi, Malaysia, Australia and Estoril, to gain a 17-point lead over Terol with one round to go. The race in Estoril was red-flagged due to rain when Márquez was running in second behind Terol. Before the race was restarted, Márquez fell on the sighting lap and had to return to the pits for repairs. He was forced to start at the back of the field, having not made it out of pit lane quickly enough. Despite this, Márquez won the race. He then finished fourth in Valencia to claim his first world title. At 17 years and 263 days old, he was the second-youngest world champion ever, behind Loris Capirossi.[18][19]

Moto2 World Championship

2011

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Márquez at the 2011 Czech Republic Grand Prix

Márquez moved into the Moto2 class for 2011 to begin a two-year stint as the sole rider of the new team Monlau Competición, run by his manager Emilio Alzamora.[20] After two retirements and a 21st place finish, Márquez took his first Moto2 victory in Le Mans.[21] At his home race in Catalonia, Márquez finished second behind championship leader Stefan Bradl. He took his first pole position in Silverstone, but once again crashed and retired. With Bradl having taken four victory in the first six races, Márquez trailed him by 82 points.[22]

Márquez made a mid-season surge up the championship standings, winning six of the next seven races to move within six points of Bradl.[23] After finishing second to Bradl's fourth at Motegi, Márquez took the championship lead by one point.[24] In Australia, Márquez crashed into the back of Ratthapark Wilairot after the free practice had been concluded, and was given a one-minute penalty on his qualifying time for riding in an "irresponsible manner".[25][26] The penalty ensured Márquez would start the race from last on the grid, but he carved his way through the field to finish in third place. The championship still seemed likely to be his.

Despite rumors of a move to MotoGP, Márquez confirmed before the Malaysian Grand Prix that he would remain in Moto2 for the 2012 season.[27] In the opening minutes of the first free practice session in Malaysia, Márquez crashed on a damp patch of asphalt alongside several other riders. He suffered nerve inflammation which caused him to develop diplopia.[28] After sitting out two further practice sessions, Márquez completed two laps in the qualifying session, but his times only placed him 36th on the grid. He did not start the race, as he failed a medical examination prior to the warm-up on race morning.[29] Márquez attended the final race of the season in Valencia, in the hope of being fit to compete, but withdrew due to continued vision problems, handing Bradl the title.[30]

2012

Márquez returned with a vengeance in 2012. He claimed six pole positions across the first eight rounds, winning in Qatar, Estoril, Assen and Germany, and claiming further podiums in Jerez, Catalonia, and Silverstone. He came fifth in Mugello, before taking three consecutive wins in Indianapolis, Brno and Misano. Despite a race win for runner-up Pol Espargaró, Márquez clinched the world championship with a second place finish in Australia.[31]

Márquez had developed a reputation as an aggressive rider during his stint in Moto2 which peaked due to a number of incidents in 2012. After the season-opener in Qatar, he received a warning over an incident where he overtook Thomas Lüthi aggressively on the final lap, forcing him wide. Lüthi slapped Márquez on the arm in retaliation, which caused him to also receive a warning.[32] Collisions with Pol Espargaró at Catalonia and Mika Kallio at Motegi brought Márquez further controversy. Following the news of his imminent move to MotoGP, a new penalty points system was announced to discourage irresponsible riding.[33]

During a practice session for his final Moto2 race in Valencia, Márquez knocked Simone Corsi off his bike while attempting an overtake and was penalised for dangerous riding. Demoted to 33rd position on the starting grid, Márquez carved through every other rider on track to win the race. This performance, which involved overtaking 20 bikes on the first lap alone, is widely recognised as one of the best racing comebacks of all time, and one of the signature performances of Márquez's career.[34] He finished the season with nine race wins, and only finished off the podium in three races, two of those being DNFs. Márquez's results also handed Suter the Moto2 constructors' title.

MotoGP World Championship

Repsol Honda Team (2013–2023)

On 12 July 2012, it was announced that Márquez had signed a two-year contract with the Repsol Honda team in MotoGP to replace the retiring Casey Stoner as Dani Pedrosa's teammate from 2013 onwards.[35][36] Some MotoGP observers described this as "the worst kept secret in history".[37] Márquez tested the Honda RC213V for the first time in Valencia after the end of the 2012 championships, lapping just over a second slower than Pedrosa, who topped the time sheets.[38] Márquez was impressive again during the MotoGP tests at Sepang. He finished the first two days of testing in third position, just behind Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo, and ahead of Valentino Rossi in fourth, before swapping places with Rossi on the final day.[39] At Honda's private test in Austin, Márquez topped the timesheets on all three days.

2013: Rookie champion

Márquez started the 2013 season with a podium finish on his MotoGP debut in Qatar. Having qualified sixth, he ended up fighting Rossi in a widely-publicised last lap battle for second place. Márquez lost out to Rossi and finished third behind him and Lorenzo.[40] In Márquez's second MotoGP race, at the new Circuit of the Americas in Texas, he took pole position and held off his teammate Pedrosa to claim his maiden victory in the MotoGP class. He became the youngest ever premier-class race winner at 20 years, 63 days, beating Freddie Spencer's 30-year-old record.[41]

At Jerez, Márquez finished in second position behind Pedrosa. On the final lap of the race, Márquez created his first controversy in the premier class by aggressively overtaking Lorenzo at the corner which had been named "Lorenzo Corner" that same weekend.[42] Despite Lorenzo's annoyance, it was deemed a racing incident. At Le Mans, Márquez took the second pole of his MotoGP career, 0.03 seconds ahead of Lorenzo. He suffered a bad start to the race and spent many laps battling outside the top five. He overtook Andrea Dovizioso with two laps left to claim his fourth podium finish in as many races, tying Max Biaggi's record from 1998.[43]

Márquez endured a tough weekend in Mugello, where he crashed twice on Friday. Despite a third crash during Saturday morning practice, he recovered to qualify on the second row. He suffered his fourth crash of the weekend during the race with only three laps to go, and recorded his first non-finish since joining the premier class.[44] Márquez took another third-place podium at Catalonia.[45] In Assen, Márquez suffered a huge highside in morning practice, causing small fractures in his fingers and toes. Despite this, he again finished the race in second place.[46]

At the Sachsenring, with main rivals Pedrosa and Lorenzo both injured, Márquez took his third pole position in MotoGP. After an average start, he worked his way back into the lead by the end of lap five, and claimed his second MotoGP victory.[47] At Laguna Seca, Márquez won his third race of the year, extending his championship lead to 16 points over Pedrosa.[48] At the trademark Laguna Seca "Corkscrew", Márquez replicated Rossi's infamous overtake on Casey Stoner in 2008 to pass Rossi himself. After the race, Rossi jokingly strangled Márquez in parc fermé before hugging him.[49] At Indianapolis, Márquez took pole, but his start was again subpar, and he quickly dropped behind Lorenzo and Pedrosa. They were unable to keep pace with Márquez for the full race, and he took his fourth win of the year by just over 3 seconds.[50] At Brno, there was an intense battle between Márquez and Lorenzo, who swapped places several times. Márquez made the final pass at Turn 3 with just under four laps to go, and became the first rider to win four consecutive races since Rossi in 2008.[51]

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Márquez and Valentino Rossi at the 2013 British Grand Prix

During Sunday morning warm up at Silverstone, Márquez crashed and dislocated his shoulder. He was nonetheless declared fit to race. Márquez and Lorenzo pulled away from the field together during the early laps. In the final laps they traded places and paint; Márquez lost out and finished second.[52] At Misano, Márquez topped qualifying by over half a second to claim pole position, but again finished the race second to Lorenzo.[53] At Aragon, Márquez claimed a seventh pole position. Again he lost the lead to Lorenzo in the first corner, and found himself trailing by two seconds. This time he soon caught up to Lorenzo, and ultimately crossed the line over a second ahead for his sixth victory of the season. With four races left, Márquez had a 39-point championship lead from second-placed Lorenzo.[54]

At Sepang, Márquez took his fourth consecutive pole position and finished in second place.[55] At Phillip Island, a mandatory pit stop after ten laps was introduced by race direction due to tyre problems. Honda misunderstood the directive, leaving Márquez on the track for an eleventh lap, and he was disqualified. This incident reduced his championship lead over race winner Lorenzo from 43 points to 18 with two rounds to go.[56] At Motegi, Márquez recovered from a heavy fall on the morning of the race to finish second behind Lorenzo.[57] His lead shrank to 13 points, meaning a fourth-place finish at Valencia would be sufficient to crown him champion even if Lorenzo won. Márquez rode with uncharacteristic restraint and finished in third to secure the championship. He became the youngest champion in series history.[58]

2014: Domination
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Márquez after winning the 2014 Grand Prix of the Americas

Márquez produced the fastest times on all three days of the first preseason test in Malaysia. He then suffered a broken right leg, and was unable to take part in the second Malaysian test or the Phillip Island tyre test. At the 2014 season opener in Qatar, Márquez demonstrated strong pace on Saturday afternoon and took pole position. He made an average start to the race, dropping to fourth place on lap one. He gradually worked his way to the front of the race and emerged victorious from a tense battle with Rossi in the second half of the race, winning by 0.259 seconds.[59] Márquez then proceeded to win each of the next five rounds in Texas, Argentina, Spain, France, and Italy, all from pole position.[60][61][62][63][64]

At the Catalan Grand Prix, Márquez failed to take pole position for the first time all season, qualifying third after crashing during the session. This turned out not to matter: Márquez held off attacks from each of Pedrosa, Lorenzo and Rossi to win his seventh consecutive race, extending his championship lead to 58 points over second-placed Rossi.[65] Márquez's younger brother Álex won the Moto3 race, and they became the first siblings to win Grand Prix races on the same day.[66] The brothers repeated the feat at the Dutch TT two weeks later.[67] At his most dominant circuit, the Sachsenring, Márquez again won the race, becoming the youngest rider to win nine consecutive races in the premier class.[68] He claimed a tenth successive victory at Indianapolis to become the third rider to achieve such a feat in the premier class, after Mick Doohan and Giacomo Agostini.[69]

Márquez suffered his first defeat of the season at Brno, where he finished fourth.[70] He then won yet again at Silverstone.[71] At Misano, Márquez crashed while battling for the race lead with Rossi; he remounted and was able to score one championship point.[72] Márquez and Pedrosa crashed in heavy rain late in the race at Aragon and finished 13th[73] and 14th, with Lorenzo claiming his first race of the year due to superior tyre strategy.[74] Lorenzo won again at Motegi, while Márquez finished second to clinch his second MotoGP championship with three rounds remaining.[75][76]

At Phillip Island, Márquez took his 12th pole position of the season, matching the record set by Casey Stoner in 2011, but he crashed out while leading the race, his first non-finish since the 2013 Italian Grand Prix.[77] At Sepang, Márquez broke Stoner's record by claiming his 13th pole position of the season and his 50th Grand Prix pole position. He also took his 12th win of the season, matching Mick Doohan's 1997 record of most premier class victories in a single year.[78] Márquez's result meant Honda claimed the manufacturers' championship with a race to spare.[79] At the final race in Valencia, Márquez broke Doohan's record by taking a 13th win to cap off his utterly dominant season.[80]

2015: Controversy
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Márquez at the 2015 Catalan Grand Prix

Márquez was the obvious favorite to win the championship in 2015 season, but it soon became clear that he was struggling to feel comfortable on that year's bike, leading to a string of crashes and retirements. Márquez kicked off the season slowly, recording a fifth-place finish in Qatar after a mistake at Turn 1 dropped him to the back of the field.[81] He then won the second race of the season in Texas, his third successive triumph at the Circuit of the Americas.[82]

In Argentina, Márquez started from pole position, and at one point was leading the race by four seconds. However, Rossi began to close the gap, and on lap 22 caught up to Márquez. The two riders made contact at Turn 5 with two laps remaining, and Márquez crashed out of the race to record his first non-finish since the 2014 Australian Grand Prix.[83]

Márquez finished second behind Lorenzo in Spain, despite riding with a finger fractured by a dirt-track accident a week before the race.[84] In France, he took his third pole position of the season, but dropped down to seventh place at the start. He overtook Cal Crutchlow, and then found himself in a hard battle for fourth place with Bradley Smith and Andrea Iannone on lap 22. Márquez eventually finished in fourth place, ahead of Iannone.[85] He crashed out of the races at both Italy and Catalunya, unable to find the safe limit of his bike.[86][87] In Assen, Márquez and Rossi ended up in another controversial battle. On the final lap, the two riders made contact at the final chicane, causing Rossi to cut across the gravel trap; he claimed victory and Márquez returned to the podium in second place.[88]

Márquez then took consecutive victories in Germany and Indianapolis, two of his strongest circuits.[89][90] He recorded a second-place finish at Brno behind Lorenzo.[91] He then crashed out at Silverstone in wet conditions, his fourth non-finish of the season.[92] A win at Misano put Márquez level with Rossi at four races apiece, but he still trailed both Rossi and Lorenzo in the championship standings.[93] Márquez crashed out once again in Aragon,[94] and a fourth-place finish in Motegi ended his hopes of retaining the title.[95]

At the Australian Grand Prix, Márquez secured his eighth pole of the season. The race soon became hotly contested: Márquez quickly lost the lead, with Iannone and Lorenzo fighting at the front throughout the first lap. Iannone led the race into the second lap, but was bizarrely hit by a seagull, and his lapse in concentration allowed Lorenzo to retake him, and Márquez to rejoin the leading pack. The three leaders continued to fight with each other, allowing Rossi to catch up to them. Lorenzo began to establish a gap, leaving Márquez, Iannone and Rossi in a three-way battle for second place. As the final lap began, Lorenzo was running first, Iannone second, Márquez third, and Rossi fourth. Márquez swept into a devastatingly quick final lap, overtaking Iannone and Lorenzo. This was Márquez's 50th Grand Prix win.[96] At 22 years and 243 days, he became the ninth rider to reach that mark, and the youngest to do so.[97]

The Malaysian Grand Prix was overshadowed by the events of the pre-race press conference, during which Rossi unexpectedly accused Márquez of slowing him down in Australia to help Lorenzo win the championship. This incited a press furore, as well as outrage from Rossi's many loyal fans. Márquez and Rossi then engaged in an intense fight during the Malaysian race, culminating in an incident where Rossi forced Márquez out wide, they collided, and Márquez crashed. Márquez insisted Rossi had deliberately kicked him off his bike. The incident was reviewed by Race Direction after the race, and Rossi was given three penalty points: enough to enforce a start from the back of the grid at the final race in Valencia.[98] Márquez finished second to Lorenzo in Valencia, and Lorenzo took the world title.[99]

2016: Reclaiming the title

The 2016 season looked daunting for Honda, who were concerned about their bike's compatibility with the grid's new Michelin tyres. Márquez took third place at the season-opener in Qatar. He won the second race of the year in Argentina, where a mandatory bike swap was enforced due to concerns over tyre durability. Márquez then put in a customarily dominant performance at the Circuit of the Americas, crossing the line six seconds ahead of Lorenzo to take an early championship lead.[100] At Jerez he finished third, behind both factory Yamahas. Márquez's Honda suffered from an acceleration deficit in Le Mans, forcing him to push in the braking zones to fight for a podium place. He collided with Dovizioso at Turn 7 and remounted to finish thirteenth.

Márquez took three consecutive second places in Italy, Catalonia, and Assen. He then claimed a fourth pole of the season at his most dominant circuit, the Sachsenring. The race was declared wet, and Márquez began the race with a soft rain tyre on his front wheel. He progressively lost ground, falling to ninth position after a trip into the gravel trap at Turn 8. He then pitted earlier than the rest of the leading riders, gambling on a switch to slick tyres. This decision paid off, and Márquez soon began recovering positions from fourteenth place. Lapping four seconds faster than the race leaders on wets, he eventually claimed victory with a lead of just under ten seconds.

Márquez took fifth place at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, third place in Brno, and fourth place at both Silverstone and Misano. At one of his strongest circuits, Aragon, he claimed pole, set the fastest lap, and won the race. This victory handed him a long shot at the championship in Motegi. Márquez won the race, while pole-setter Rossi and Lorenzo both crashed out of it in a rare double Yamaha DNF. Márquez therefore clinched his third MotoGP title, and fifth world title overall. At Phillip Island, the newly crowned champion crashed out of the race while leading.[101] He then crashed again in Malaysia while chasing the leading trio in tricky wet conditions, but remounted the bike and finished in eleventh position. At the season finale in Valencia, Márquez found himself trapped behind Rossi and Iannone in the first part of the race, jockeying for a podium position. He managed to break away from them in the second half of the race and began hunting down race leader Lorenzo, but ultimately had settle for a second place finish.[102]

2017: Down to the wire

Márquez kicked off 2017 season with a fourth place finish in Qatar. He took pole position in Argentina, but crashed out of the lead alongside teammate Pedrosa. This marked the Honda factory team's first double retirement since Argentina 2015. Márquez stormed to another pole position at the Circuit of the Americas and duly won the race, extending his perfect record of four pole positions and four wins at the circuit since its introduction onto the MotoGP calendar.[103] In Jerez, Márquez took second place behind Pedrosa. Márquez recorded another non-finish in Le Mans, followed by a disappointing sixth place finish at Mugello, struggling in both races with the Honda's lack of acceleration off the corners. In Catalonia, he finished second despite suffering several crashes throughout practice and qualifying. He then won a close late-race battle with Dovizioso and Crutchlow in the Netherlands to record another much-needed podium finish.

Márquez's fortunes began to improve at his favored Sachsenring, where he took yet another pole position and victory to extend his streak there to eight consecutive wins across all classes. For the first time, he took the lead in the championship standings. At Brno, the race was declared wet. Márquez took pole but found himself slipping back through the field on soft tyres in the wet, and took the early gamble to switch to slicks. Having once again outfoxed his rivals in flag-to-flag conditions, he powered back through the field and took victory by over twelve seconds. In Austria, Márquez took second after losing out to Dovizioso in a thrilling last-lap battle. Márquez then suffered a rare engine failure at Silverstone, where Dovizioso claimed victory, leaving them tied in the championship standings. Márquez fought back by claiming back-to-back wins: first in a wet race at Misano, and then in Aragon. In Japan, Márquez again lost out to Dovizioso in a dramatic last-lap battle for victory.

Márquez qualified in pole for a race at Phillip Island which became an instant classic. For much of the race he was forced to skirmish in a leading supergroup formed of eight riders: Márquez, Rossi, Zarco, Viñales, Iannone, Crutchlow, Jack Miller and Álex Rins. Eventually Márquez broke through and was able to establish a gap from the rest of the pack, crossing the line 1.8 seconds clear of Rossi. This performance extended his championship lead over Dovizioso to 33 points, as Dovizioso finished 13th after running off track. However, Márquez missed out on clinching the title in Malaysia, where he finished fourth to Dovizioso's first. The title contest therefore continued to the last round in Valencia. Márquez started the race from pole, but narrowly avoided crashing at Turn 1 and dropped from first to fifth position. Moments later, Dovizioso crashed at turn eight, handing Márquez his sixth world title.

2018: Consistency

Márquez kicked off the 2018 season by losing yet another last-lap battle for victory with Dovizioso in Qatar. He then courted controversy in a bizarre race in Argentina. Márquez then stalled his bike while lining up on the grid. In an attempt to restart, he pushed the bike away from his grid position. After the race started, he was issued a ride-through penalty for riding his bike in the wrong direction on the track. Rejoining near the back of the field, Márquez began ploughing through the field. He was issued a second penalty for irresponsible riding following a collision with Aleix Espargaró, and was required to drop a position. Towards the end of the race, Márquez then collided with Rossi and toppled him onto the wet grass. This reignited their feud and earned Márquez a third penalty. Márquez finished the race in fifth, having easily set the fastest lap, but due to the third infraction was handed a 30-second time penalty and did not receive points.

At the Circuit of the Americas, Márquez customarily qualified on pole but was handed a three-place grid penalty for impeding Maverick Viñales.[104] This didn't matter: Márquez won the race, maintaining his perfect record in Texas. At Jerez he survived a high-speed slide caused by gravel on the track to score a second consecutive victory, followed by a third at Le Mans. Both victories were his first at those circuits since 2014, and gave Márquez a commanding lead in the championship. He crashed out of Mugello, and recorded a second-place finish in Catalonia. He then claimed pole for an instant classic in Assen, featuring over 100 overtakes and six different race leaders. After a long-fought battle within the leading group of seven riders (Márquez, Rossi, Lorenzo, Crutchlow, Rins, Viñales and Dovizioso), Márquez peeled away from the group and took victory over two seconds ahead of Rins. In Germany, Márquez had to scrap more than usual, but ultimately still scored pole position, the fastest lap, and his ninth consecutive victory at the circuit.

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Márquez at the 2018 San Marino Grand Prix

After the summer break, Ducati won in Brno, where Márquez finished third, and in Austria, where Márquez settled for second after losing a last-lap duel to Lorenzo. His championship lead still remained strong. After Silverstone was cancelled due to dangerous track conditions, Ducati took a third consecutive win at Misano, Dovizioso leading Márquez across the line.

Márquez sealed the championship after three successive wins in duels with Dovizioso, in Aragon, Thailand and Japan. At all three circuits, Dovizioso established an early lead, but Márquez laid in wait to pull off a series of successful late passes. In Japan, Dovizioso crashed on the penultimate lap while trying to catch Márquez to attempt a repass. This left him without points, and Márquez cruised over the finish line to score a third consecutive win and a seventh world title. He became the first rider to win three consecutive titles in the premier class since Valentino Rossi. During the celebrations, Márquez dislocated his shoulder after being hugged by Scott Redding.[105]

Márquez qualified on pole in Australia, but was overtaken by both Dovizioso and Miller on the seventh lap. Three laps later, the rear end of Márquez's bike was struck by Johann Zarco. Zarco crashed and Márquez's bike took damage which ended his race. Márquez took another pole position in Malaysia, but received a six-place grid penalty following an incident with Iannone in qualifying.[106] He powered through the field to catch race leader Rossi, who crashed out of the race and handed Márquez his ninth victory of the season. At the season finale in Valencia, Márquez crashed, having chosen harder wet tyres than his rivals on a soaked track.

2019: Domination again

Márquez's preparations for the 2019 season were compromised due to a shoulder surgery. He still managed to take the fight for victory in Qatar to the final corner, where he ultimately lost out to Dovizioso again. Márquez dominated proceedings in Argentina from start to finish, claiming pole, the fastest lap, and cruising to victory by almost ten seconds. He set pole in the United States for a seventh consecutive season, but surprisingly crashed out of the lead, ruining his perfect record at that circuit. Honda attributed this to a problem with the new engine brake in low-speed corners.[107] Márquez avenged the crash by reclaiming the title lead with a composed win at Jerez, where he once again led from start to finish. He took a third victory in France, where he pulled into the lead after an early fight with Jack Miller.

Márquez had to settle for second at Mugello, after a three-man battle with Ducati duo Dovizioso and race-winner Danilo Petrucci. In Catalonia, Márquez was threatened early on in the race by strong starts from several of his rivals. However, his new teammate Lorenzo lost the front end of his bike on the second lap, triggering a collision which eliminated Lorenzo, Dovizioso, Viñales and Rossi from the race. Márquez narrowly escaped the pile-up and breezed across the line unchallenged. In Assen, Márquez increased his title lead by finishing second to Viñales, who was 100 points adrift in the title standings. The other championship contenders all had a difficult race. Márquez unsurprisingly dominated at the Sachsenring, where he set pole, the fastest lap, and won his tenth consecutive race.

Returning from summer break, Márquez set an extraordinary pole position at Brno. Qualifying was run in changeable conditions, but the circuit was dry enough to go out on slick tyres. Having set pole with his penultimate lap, Márquez then continued out for another lap despite the final sector now being drenched in rain. He powered through the wet track on his slick tyres to set an even faster lap, ahead of the field by over 2.5 seconds. Petrucci commented, "I don't understand why the track was dry for Marc and wet for the rest of us."[108] Márquez then took his 50th career MotoGP win, leading the race from start to finish.

Márquez also set pole in Austria and Silverstone, but lost out in two last-lap battles for victory to Dovizioso and Rins respectively. In Misano, where he did not set pole, he won the race after a last-lap showdown with rookie Fabio Quartararo. In Aragon he won commandingly from pole. His lead in the championship handed him match point in Thailand. After another thrilling last-lap battle with Quartararo, Márquez won the race and secured his eighth world championship with four rounds remaining.

Márquez closed out the season in commanding fashion. He took another victory from pole in Japan. He sat behind race leader Maverick Viñales for much of the race in Australia, before accelerating past him into the final lap. Under pressure to repass him, Viñales crashed, handing Márquez victory by eleven seconds. In Malaysia, Márquez injured his shoulder in qualifying, which would later require another post-season surgery, but recovered to finish second in the race.[109] At the final race in Valencia, Márquez fittingly claimed his twelfth victory of the season. He fell one race short of the record for most wins in a single season that he had established in 2014. His final points tally was 420, giving him a 151-point advantage — the equivalent of six race wins — over second-placed Dovizioso.

2020: The accident

During the 2020 preseason, Márquez signed a new deal with Honda, unusual in that it ran for four years instead of two and would therefore take Márquez off the riders' market until 2024.[110] The season opener in Jerez was delayed due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Márquez qualified on the front row in third position. He quickly moved into the lead, but nearly crashed on Lap 5, dropping him down to sixteenth. The fastest man on track by a wide margin, and certainly not riding the fastest bike, Márquez charged back through the field and joined the battle for second place with five laps to go. Hervé Poncharal later commented, "I couldn’t believe my eyes. Nobody has ever had that superiority, I think."[111] Márquez then suffered a vicious highside at Turn 3, ending his race and breaking his right humerus.

Márquez underwent surgery to install a plate in his arm on 21 July.[112] He then returned to Jerez for the Andalusian Grand Prix, due to be held five days later. He participated in free practice on Saturday, only to declare that he had too much pain in his recently injured arm to continue.[113] He did not participate in another race in the 2020 season. The stress on his arm weakened the plate and caused it to break in August, necessitating another surgery surgery.[114] He then underwent a third surgery in December to receive a bone graft, which resulted in further complications due to infection.[115]

2021: Return to racing

Márquez missed the opening two races of the 2021 season due to his continued rehabilitation. He announced his return for the third round in Portugal, where he completed the race and finished within the points in seventh place. He also took a ninth-place finish in Jerez. Márquez then suffered three consecutive DNFs, in Le Mans, Mugello, and Catalonia. In Le Mans, where conditions were rainy, he had at one stage been leading the race.

Márquez qualified on the second row at his most reliable circuit, the Sachsenring. He got into the lead during the early laps of the race and held onto it to take his first Grand Prix victory in 581 days, and his 11th consecutive win in Germany. Márquez followed this result up with two point-scoring finishes at the Dutch and Styrian GPs. In Austria, he was battling in contention for the lead when he and the other top riders were forced to pit to change to rain tyres with three laps remaining. At the start of his first flying lap after leaving the pits, Márquez slid off the track. He remounted and finished fifteenth. At Silverstone, he collided with Jorge Martín on the opening lap and retired.

In Aragon, Márquez fought for victory with Francesco Bagnaia, but was unable to overpower Bagnaia's Ducati and ultimately settled for second place. He took fourth place in Misano. At his stomping ground in Texas, Márquez qualified on the front row, set the fastest lap, and secured his second victory of the season by over 4.5 seconds.[116] He then claimed a consecutive victory at the Emilia Romagna GP.[117] Márquez suffered a concussion in an off-road training session prior to the Algarve GP, and announced his withdrawal from the final two rounds of the season.[118] He later admitted that the episode had brought on a recurrence of the diplopia which he had originally suffered back in 2011.[119] Despite his truncated calendar, Márquez finished 7th in the championship. He had crashed a total of 22 times in 14 races.[120]

2022: Further surgery

Márquez was fit to compete at the first round of the 2022 season in Qatar, where he finished in fifth place. During practice for the second race of the season at Mandalika, Márquez crashed three times in practice. After a fourth crash, a violent highside during a warm-up session before the race, he was rushed to hospital.[121] He was uninjured but declared unfit to race. After further checks in Spain he was diagnosed with a third episode of diplopia.

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Márquez in 2022

Márquez finished sixth in both Texas and Portugal, fourth in Spain, sixth again in France, and tenth at Mugello. After the qualifying sessions were concluded in Mugello, Márquez held a press conference to announce that he would undergo a fourth surgery on his right humerus at the Mayo Clinic to correct a 30-degree rotation of the bone.[122][123] He was sidelined indefinitely, and replaced for all races by Honda test rider Stefan Bradl.[124][125] Despite having missed 5 of 11 races, Márquez remained the top Honda rider in the standings going into the season's summer break.

Márquez returned to the grid at the fifteenth round of the season in Aragon. He had made up seven positions from his starting place when championship leader Quartararo crashed into the back of Márquez's bike, taking Quartararo out of the race. Debris from Quartararo's bike stuck in Márquez's wheel, causing him to collide with Takaaki Nakagami, and Márquez too retired from the race.

A week later, Márquez achieved the record-extending 91st pole position of his career in wet conditions in Japan. He had not taken pole in almost three years. He finished the race in fourth place. He recorded a fifth place finish in Thailand, then took his 100th MotoGP podium at Phillip Island, where he narrowly lost out on victory to Álex Rins. He finished seventh in Malaysia, and crashed out of Valencia. In spite of not starting 8 of 20 races, Marquez finished the season in thirteenth place with 113 points, more than double that of any of his Honda stablemates.

2023: Fracture with Honda

Márquez took his only pole position of 2023 at the season opener in Portugal. He also finished third in the first-ever MotoGP sprint race. However, in the main race, he crashed into Miguel Oliveira and received a double long-lap penalty to be served at the next race in Argentina. The crash left Márquez with a broken thumb that required surgery, and he withdrew first from Argentina, then from Texas, then from Spain. The FIM changed the wording of the penalty, ruling that it would instead be served at the next race Márquez was fit for. Honda challenged this decision, and the FIM Court of Appeal allowed for the penalty's annulment.[126]

Márquez returned to racing in Le Mans, where he qualified in second place. During the race, he managed to put himself into a battle for second with Jorge Martín, but crashed at Turn 7 on the penultimate lap. At Mugello, Márquez again qualified in second, and again crashed out of the race, while chasing Luca Marini for third place.[127] He was the third Honda rider, following Álex Rins and Joan Mir, to be sidelined by a crash that weekend.

In Germany, Márquez hit the nadir of his MotoGP career. At a circuit he had not failed to win at since 2010, Márquez crashed five times across the weekend. The first of these crashes, during free practice, collected Johann Zarco in a terrifying incident that destroyed Zarco's bike, and from which both riders were lucky to walk away from relatively unscathed. After a particularly nasty wobble coming down the Ralf Waldmann Kurve in practice, Márquez appeared to stick his middle finger up in response to the vicious handling of his RC213V. A second crash occurred in the first qualifying session, and two more in the second. Márquez cruised to a limp eleventh place in the sprint race, for once unwilling to push his bike, before crashing again during the race morning warm-up and withdrawing from the event. Márquez also withdrew from Assen the following weekend, citing aggravation of the injuries he had sustained in Germany, which included a broken rib.[128] At the first race after the summer break in Silverstone, despite riding with uncharacteristic caution, Márquez collided with Enea Bastianini and retired from the race.

Márquez finally ended his season-long streak of non-finishes at the Austrian Grand Prix, where he finished in twelfth place. He also finished the next three races, in Catalonia, Misano, and India. In Japan, Márquez qualified in seventh as the only Honda lapping fast enough for Q2. He then wrestled his Honda onto the podium in the main race, which was cut short due to extreme wet weather just as Márquez was hounding Bagnaia for second place. It was his first main race podium in nearly a year.

In the last six races of the season, Márquez retired twice, in Indonesia and Valencia, but finished races in Australia, Thailand, Malaysia and Qatar. Márquez finished the season in fourteenth place. Despite his prolonged absences and failure to finish a Grand Prix until the ninth round, he still ranked as the top Honda in the standings, as his teammate Joan Mir and LCR rider Alex Rins battled their own injuries due to the now hugely uncompetitive and unpredictable RC213V. On 4 October 2023, Honda announced that they had prematurely terminated their contract with Márquez by mutual agreement.[129]

Gresini Racing MotoGP (2024)

2024: Transition

On 12 October 2023, it was announced that Márquez would race for the satellite Ducati team Gresini Racing for the 2024 season. He joined the team on a one-year contract, to be partnered by his younger brother Álex.[130][131] Honda team manager Alberto Puig confirmed that Márquez would be allowed to ride a Ducati at the Valencian preseason test in November.[132] Márquez finished the test ranked fourth in the standings after 49 laps. Márquez started the season steadily, finishing P5 in the sprint and P4 in the race in Qatar.[133] In Portugal, he finished second in his second sprint race on a Ducati. In the main race, Márquez and Bagnaia collided while fighting for fifth; Márquez remounted and finished sixteenth.[134] At the Circuit of the Americas, Márquez claimed another second place in the sprint, but crashed out of the lead in the main race due to an apparent issue with his front brake.[135]

In Jerez, Márquez claimed his first pole position with Ducati. The sprint race turned into a battle of attrition which only sixteen of the 25 entrants finished. Márquez crashed out of the lead, but recovered to P6.[136] He duelled for the lead of the main race with reigning world champion Bagnaia. After finishing second, Márquez declared it the best podium of his career.[137] At Le Mans, Márquez qualified a disappointing thirteenth, but fought his way through the grid to finish second in both races. This result sprang him to third place in the championship standings behind Bagnaia and Martín.[138] In Catalonia, Márquez similarly qualified in fourteenth before finishing second in the sprint and third in the main race.[139] At Mugello, he once again took second in the sprint. In the main race he finished fourth, pushed off the podium by Bastianini in the last few laps.[140]

Márquez endured a challenging weekend at Assen. He crashed out of the sprint and finished fourth in the main race before receiving a 16-second penalty for tyre-pressure infringement, demoting him to tenth.[141] A heavy crash in practice at the Sachsenring left Márquez with a broken finger and contused ribs. He qualified in thirteenth but powered through the grid to P2 in the main race. His brother Álex finished third, and they became the first siblings to stand on a MotoGP podium together since 1997.[142] Sprint DNFs and fourth place race finishes at both Silverstone and Austria saw Márquez slip to fourth in the championship standings, below Bastianini.

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Márquez at the 2024 Malaysian Grand Prix

At Aragon, Márquez took his second pole position of the season. He then took his first-ever sprint win, followed by his first race win with Ducati. It was his 60th victory in the premier class, and his first in 1,043 days.[143] Márquez then took a consecutive victory at Misano, having also set the fastest laps at both circuits. He stood on the podium again with a third-place finish at the Emilia Romagna GP.[144][145] In Indonesia, Márquez demonstrated decent pace in practice, but failed to set a lap time in Q2, crashing out twice during the session. Forced to start from twelfth on the grid, he fought his way up to third in the sprint race. In the main race, he suffered from a mechanical failure on lap 12, setting his bike on fire and causing him to retire.[146] In Japan, a sequence of uncontrollable events led to Márquez starting from ninth on the grid, but he finished third in both the sprint and the main race.[147][148] Márquez qualified in second at Phillip Island, but suffered a poor start after his helmet tear-off landed under his rear tyre. He fell back to thirteenth place, but had recovered to sixth by the end of the first lap. He set a ferocious pace, breaking the circuit's race lap record on the seventh lap, and pulled into third position. He then overtook Bagnaia, on lap 11, and race leader Martín, in the final stages of the race, to claim his third win of the season.[149]

Márquez then crashed while in the running for a podium place at both Buriram and Sepang. He was able to remount and finish both races in eleventh and twelfth place respectively, keeping him in third place in the championship standings. At the final round of the season, the Solidarity GP, Márquez finished second despite struggling for race pace during practice.[150] He finished the season in third, his best championship placement since 2019.[151]

Ducati Lenovo Team (2025–)

2025: Return to domination

On 5 June 2024, it was announced that Márquez would join the factory Ducati team for the 2025 season on a two-year contract.[152] This came as a surprise to some observers, as 2024 world champion Jorge Martín had already been promised the seat. There had been speculation over Márquez moving to the satellite Ducati team Pramac, but he publicly rejected this option.[153] Ducati feared they might lose him to another manufacturer, and he was swiftly signed to the factory team.[154] Martín then defected to Aprilia.[155] Márquez made his debut on a factory Ducati bike at the post-season test in Barcelona, followed by further encouraging tests in Sepang and Buriram.

Márquez immediately reasserted his diminished authority over the grid. In the first two rounds in Thailand and Argentina, he took pole, won the sprint race, set the fastest lap, and won the main race. At the Circuit of the Americas, he seemed on course for this streak to continue, having taken both pole and won the sprint. The race was held in changeable conditions, and most riders had elected to start with wet tyres. On the starting grid, Márquez deliberately caused chaos by sprinting for his second bike minutes before the race start. More than 10 riders panicked and followed him, so the race start was aborted. On its restart, Márquez powered into an early lead before crashing out of the race on the ninth lap.[156]

In Qatar, Márquez once again took pole, the sprint win, the race win, and set the fastest lap. This was his first win at that circuit since his towering 2014 season. At Jerez, he won the sprint race but crashed out of third place in the main race. Due to the crashes in Texas and Jerez, Márquez trailed his brother by one championship point when the grid arrived at Le Mans. He quickly recovered the lead there by winning the sprint, and finished second in the main race behind home hero Johann Zarco. At Silverstone, Márquez failed to win the sprint race, finishing second behind Álex. Ducati struggled in the main race. Márquez crashed out of the lead but was saved by a race restart due to an oil spillage on track. Upon the restart, Márquez's ailing teammate Bagnaia fell to the midfield and crashed out, and Álex finished fifth. Márquez salvaged third place, extending his championship lead.

Márquez then embarked upon a seven round winning streak across all sprints and main races. At Aragon, he topped every single session, becoming the first person to do so since Marc Márquez at the 2015 German GP a decade earlier. The grid then arrived at Mugello, where Márquez had not won since the 2014 edition. He promptly dominated the weekend, taking his 100th career pole position, winning the sprint, and his 93rd win after a hectic battle with his brother and Bagnaia in the early laps. He continued his streak at Assen, where he qualified fourth but won both the sprint (repelling an attack from his brother) and the race (repelling an attack from Marco Bezzecchi).

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Márquez at the 2025 Czech GP

Márquez claimed pole at the Sachsenring, and won the sprint. The main race turned into a war of attrition which only 10 of the eighteen riders on track finished. Márquez won by six seconds, claiming his twelfth win there across all classes, but only his first since 2021.[157] This was his 69th win in MotoGP, and he overtook Giacomo Agostini for second in the list of premier class race winners. In Brno, after collecting the sprint and the race, Márquez became the first Ducati rider to win five MotoGP main races in a row.[158]

After the summer break, Márquez took a career-first Grand Prix win in Austria, as well as winning the sprint. He followed this up with a seventh consecutive double victory in Hungary, having fought off a challenge from Bezzecchi at both circuits. Although Márquez won his eighth consecutive sprint race in Catalonia, he was bested in a Grand Prix for the first time since Silverstone by his brother Álex, who had also led the majority of the sprint race before crashing. In Misano, Márquez failed to finish a sprint race for the first time all season, crashing to the applause of the Italian crowd just after passing Bezzecchi for the lead. He recovered to win the main race on Sunday, securing his tenth win of the season and his 99th career victory. On the podium, he took off his leathers in imitation of Lionel Messi's celebration in front of a hostile Real Madrid crowd.

Márquez now had the opportunity to clinch the championship with five rounds remaining in Motegi. He duly rode conservatively to second place in both the sprint and the main race. He secured his seventh MotoGP title, his ninth world title, and his first title in six years. This was the longest drought between titles any rider had experienced. He drew level on both MotoGP and world titles with his old enemy Valentino Rossi.[159] Due to a dispute with Dorna over title categorisation, Márquez did not celebrate this as either his seventh or ninth championship, using the slogan "More Than A Number". At age 32, he was the oldest champion in the MotoGP era (and in 2013 had been the youngest).

At Mandalika, a distracted Márquez had to go through Q1 for the first time all season and qualified ninth on the grid. Bezzecchi crashed into him on the first lap, taking them both out of the race.[160] Márquez suffered a right shoulder injury, and withdrew from the Australian and Malaysian rounds.[161] After a conservative treatment plan failed, he underwent surgery and withdrew from the rest of the season, including preseason testing in Valencia.[162] Márquez finished the season with a haul of 545 points, setting a record in the sprint era despite missing four rounds of racing. Ducati won the "Triple Crown", securing the Riders', Constructors', and Teams' World Championships due in major part to Márquez's performance. His brother finished as championship runner-up, and they became the first siblings to finish 1–2 in premier-class history.

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Personal life

Márquez lived in his parents' hometown, Cervera, until 2022. He briefly made headlines in 2014 after Spanish media reported he was planning to move to Andorra, alleging it was for tax reasons.[163] Márquez ultimately did not relocate until eight years later, when he moved to Madrid to seek better medical support for his injured right arm. His younger brother Álex moved in with him.[164]

Márquez has been in a relationship with Spanish model Gemma Pinto since 2023.[165]

Aside from his native languages, Catalan and Spanish, Márquez is a fluent speaker of English and Italian.[166] He is a fan of football club FC Barcelona.[167]

In the media

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Márquez holding his ant motif helmet

Personal brand

Márquez rides with the racing number 93, chosen after his birth year. Although a world champion is entitled to race under the number 1, Márquez has never used it during any of his reigns. When Márquez rode for Honda, the No. 93 was displayed with white text on a red background, on both his bike and official merchandise. Since his switch to Ducati, it is now displayed in red.

Márquez is nicknamed the 'Ant of Cervera' due to his height - he is 5ft 7in (1.70m) tall. Since 2012, Márquez has used the ant as motif on various gloves, helmets and pit boards, as well as his official merchandise. He is also nicknamed 'el tro de Cervera' ('the thunder of Cervera') in his hometown.

In 2023, Márquez launched WeAre93, an official fan club which unites his fans at circuits and has a dedicated grandstand at most races. His official merchandise is now sold under the same name.[168]

Media appearances

Márquez has been the subject of numerous biographies and documentaries. In 2013 Dorna Sports produced a feature-length documentary on his rookie season called Rookie #93 Marc Márquez: Beyond the Smile.[169] In 2015, Márquez was one of six riders profiled in the Brad Pitt-narrated documentary Hitting the Apex, alongside Jorge Lorenzo, Valentino Rossi, Dani Pedrosa, Casey Stoner and Marco Simoncelli.[170] The documentary included coverage of Márquez's ascent to the premier class, his early controversies, and his path to winning the 2013 MotoGP championship.

Several more documentaries were produced about Márquez by his sponsors in the late 2010s. From Cervera to Tokyo documented his path to the 2016 title after a difficult preseason with Honda.[171] Marc Márquez: Unseen documented his 2017 season.[172] For the 2019 season, the five-part series Marc Márquez: Unlimited was released.[173] In 2023, Márquez created a more personal documentary, titled Marc Márquez: All In.[174] A five-part series by Prime Video, it detailed Márquez's struggles after his career-halting injury.[175] Featuring appearances from MotoGP greats such as Lorenzo and Pedrosa, it also took a retrospective view of Márquez's career and explored the breakdown of his relationship with Valentino Rossi in 2015.

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Legacy

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Riding style

Elbow-dragging

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Elbows down technique practised by Marc Márquez during the 2018 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix

Márquez brought a unique, radical approach to handling a MotoGP bike when he joined the premier class in 2013. During his time in Moto2 he had discovered how to use his elbows as outriggers, dragging them along the ground through corners. This technique gave him more control, and allowed him to right the bike if he began to lose the front tyre. Márquez's unusual ability to save crashes has assisted him on many occasions – notably at the 2017 season finale in Valencia, where he slid completely off the circuit but righted his bike just before the gravel trap, allowing him to continue and seal his fourth MotoGP title. Márquez's "elbow dragging" technique became so popular in MotoGP that suit manufacturers began developing elbow sliders for every rider. Former riders including James Toseland, Cal Crutchlow and Neil Hodgson have all credited Márquez's elbows with redefining Grand Prix motorcycle racing.[176]

Anti-clockwise circuits

Throughout his career, Márquez has shown an affinity for left corners and anti-clockwise circuits. Márquez's most successful circuit is the anti-clockwise Sachsenring, where he has won twelve times across all classes. Perhaps his most impressive win there was in 2021, achieved despite the fragility of his right arm at that time. After the race, then-Ducati rider Jack Miller quipped, "He smoked us with one arm!".[177] Márquez himself has openly joked about his liking for anti-clockwise circuits. At the 2018 Austrian GP, when asked to draw his ideal track, Márquez drew a simple loop and wrote on it "Left corners and very slippery".[178]

After Márquez won his first race with Gresini Ducati on the anti-clockwise MotorLand Aragon circuit, then-factory Ducati riders Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini revealed that Márquez was able to lean as much as 5 degrees further than them on left hand corners. Márquez's affinity for left handers may trace back to his childhood: he was a motocross racer before he was a road racer, and most motocross circuits run anti-clockwise. He continues to use motocross as a regular training activity.

Honors

Turn 10 at the MotorLand Aragón circuit is dedicated to Márquez, in recognition of his success in MotoGP.[179]

Vertical

In 2022, Marc and his brother Álex Márquez founded the talent management agency Vertical in Madrid.[180] Fifteen year old motorcycle racer Máximo Quiles became the first client.[181]

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Career statistics

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CEV Buckler 125cc Championship

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)[182]

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Grand Prix motorcycle racing

By season

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By class

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Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

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Records

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As of the conclusion of round 22 in Valencia of the 2025 season, Marc Márquez holds the following records:[183][184][185][186][187][188][189]

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Other miscellaneous records held by Márquez include:

1. Premier class (MotoGP/500cc):

  • Youngest rider to win 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 premier class titles
  • Youngest rider to lead the championship (20 years, 63 days)
  • Youngest rider to win consecutive premier class titles (21 years, 237 days)
  • Youngest rider to take 12 pole positions in a single season in premier class (21 years, 243 days)
  • Four successive podium positions in first four race starts (shared with Max Biaggi)
  • First rookie and youngest rider to take four consecutive pole positions (Silverstone–Malaysia 2013)
  • First rookie and youngest rider to win four consecutive races (Germany–Brno 2013)
  • Only Spanish rider to win 2 titles back-to-back in the premier class
  • Youngest rider to win 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 consecutive races in the premier class (2014)
  • Youngest rider to win 11 and 12 races in a single season in the premier class (2014)
  • Most consecutive race wins in a single season: 10 in 2014 (shared with Mick Doohan and Giacomo Agostini)
  • First Ducati rider to win opening round season in his debut season (shared with Casey Stoner)
  • First Ducati rider to win first 2 races (back-to-back) from opening round season in his debut season
  • First Ducati rider to win World Championship in his debut season (shared with Casey Stoner)
  • The greatest ever comeback in MotoGP/Premier Class history
  • Most BMW M Awards for Best Qualifier: 8 (2013–2019, 2025)
  • Most consecutive BMW M Awards for Best Qualifier: 7 (2013–2019)

2. Four-stroke MotoGP era (2002–):

  • Oldest rider to win a MotoGP World Championship (32 years, 223 days)
  • Most consecutive MotoGP race wins: 10 (Qatar–Indianapolis 2014)
  • Most pole positions from start of season: 6 (Qatar–Mugello 2014)
  • Most races left in the season when becoming World Champion: 5

3. MotoGP sprint era (2023–):

  • Most combined races & sprint races won in a single season: 25 of 44 races (2025)[a]
  • Most consecutive double victories (sprint & race): 7 (2025 Aragon GP–2025 Hungary GP)
  • Most consecutive sprint wins: 8 (2025 Aragon GP–2025 Catalan GP)
  • Most double victories in a single season: 10 (2025)
  • Most sprint race wins in a season: 14 (2025)
  • Most consecutive combined race & sprint race wins: 15 (Aragon sprint–Catalan sprint 2025)
  • Most points in a season: 545 (2025)

4. Alongside Álex Márquez:

  • Only siblings to win World Championships in the same season (2014, 2019)
  • First pair of siblings to be premier class race winners (completed by Álex in 2025)
  • First ever pair of brothers to finish 1st and 2nd in qualifying, sprint, warm up, and main race back-to-back (In MotoGP Thailand 2025 & MotoGP Argentine 2025)
  • Finished ten consecutive sprint races in 1st and 2nd (Thailand–Assen 2025)
  • Only siblings to finish 1st and 2nd in the history of the MotoGP/Premier Class championship standings (2025)
  • Only siblings to place 1st and 2nd in BMW M Awards qualifying (2025)
  • Most races finished by siblings in 1st and 2nd places: 6 (2025)
  • Most shared podium finishes by siblings: 8

5. Across all Grand Prix classes:

  • Youngest rider to win five consecutive races (Mugello–Sachsenring 2010)
  • Most wins as a teenager in all classes: 26
  • First rider to win intermediate and premier class titles back-to-back
  • Youngest rider to win at least one race in all three main classes (125cc/Moto3, 250cc/Moto2, 500cc/MotoGP)
  • Youngest Spanish rider to take a podium (15 years, 126 days)
  • Youngest Spanish rider to take a pole position (16 years, 88 days)
  • Youngest rider to win 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 championship titles
  • Youngest rider to achieve 50 wins (22 years, 243 days)
  • Youngest rider to achieve 60 wins (24 years, 219 days)
  • Youngest rider to achieve 70 wins (25 years, 260 days)
  • Youngest rider to achieve 80 wins (26 years, 245 days)
  • First rider to claim pole position after taking part in Qualifying 1 (Thailand 2018)
  • First rider ever to win 7 consecutive Grand Prix with two different manufacturers (Honda in 2014 and Ducati in 2025)
  • First and only rider to lead all sessions of a GP weekend (2015 German GP, repeated at 2025 Aragon GP)
  • First ever rider in Grand Prix motorcycle racing history to win World Championship after a drought of more than five years (from 2019 to 2025)
  • Only siblings to win Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Championships in the same season (2014, 2019)
  • First pair of siblings to be Grand Prix motorcycle racing winners (completed by Álex in 2013)
  • First ever pair of brothers to finish 1st and 2nd in Grand Prix motorcycle races back-to-back (In MotoGP Thailand 2025 & MotoGP Argentine 2025)
  • Only siblings to finish 1st and 2nd in the history of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing championship standings (2025)
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Awards and nominations

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See also

Notes

  1. [a]
    Marc Márquez missed out eight races in 2025.

References

External links

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