Marc Marquez is 20 years old and, half way through the season, leads the MotoGP riders’ world championship. So how good is he?
The first time I properly noticed Marc Marquez was at Estoril, Portugal, in 2010. I was at the track that day (get me and my travel), and saw him destroy the field. It had been a terrible weekend weather-wise, and half way through the 125cc race, it was red flagged due to rain. Marquez had been running in second behind Nico Terol after starting 11th on the grid. On the sighting lap of the restarted race, Marquez crashed. He limped back to the pits, while his team ran to the grid with parts to fix his bike, his team trying to save time. By the time the team got back to the bike in the pits, it was too late, and he would start from the back of the grid.
It wouldn’t matter. By the end of lap one he was third, and then he overtook Terol on the 9th and final lap of the shortened race to take the win by 0.150 seconds.
With it he secured his first championship.
Records are something that are easy to understand, and many of Marquez’s relate to his age:
– Most wins by a teenager (26)
– Youngest rider to achieve 4 successive wins (2010, Mugello, Silverstone, Assen, Barcelona)
– Youngest rider to win at least 1 race in 3 classes of GP Racing
– Youngest rider to take a fastest lap in the premiere class (Qatar, 2013)
– Youngest pole position in the premiere class (20 years 2 months and 4 days, Circuit of the Americas, 2013)
– Youngest race winner in the premiere class (20 years 2 months and 5 days Circuit of the Americas, 2013)
– Youngest rider to lead the premiere class championship (Circuit of the Americas, 2013)
– Youngest rider to win back to back races in the premiere class (Sachsenring-Laguna Seca, 2013)
– Youngest rider to take successive podium positions in the premiere class (Qatar, Circuit of the Americas, Jerez, Le Mans, 2013)
These records stand him apart at a young age, but perhaps hide the achievements of other riders. After all, just because you’re young, doesn’t make you the greatest, although it is of course a good start.
Marquez also holds these records:
– Fastest crash in MotoGP, 209 mph (2nd practice Mugello, 2013) – the least enviable record of all, surely.
– 4 successive podium positions in first 4 Premiere Class Grand Prix (shared with Max Biaggi)
The second record is of most interest as Max Biaggi pops up.
Which means it might be a good idea to see how Marquez compares in his first season across the classes. After all, if you’re good, you’ll be good right from the start, regardless…right?
Using the riders who have won the premiere class since Kenny Roberts in 1978 (plus Biaggi and Dani Pedrosa due to their 250cc results and strong starts to their rookie premiere class seasons), here are the riders who competed in 125cc and their results in their first season, bold showing the best stats, and points scoring finishes adjusted to modern scoring where relevant. Races until first win counts any race in that class.
125cc rookie season stats:
Rider |
Races until first win |
Races until first podium |
Points in 1st full season |
Seasons to win first title |
Àlex Crivillé |
5 |
5 |
166 |
2 |
Jorge Lorenzo |
26 |
26 |
79 |
No title |
Marc Marquez |
33 |
6 |
94 |
3 |
Dani Pedrosa |
23 |
12 |
100 |
3 |
Valentino Rossi |
11 |
10 |
111 |
2 |
Casey Stoner |
16 |
11 |
125 |
No title |
Àlex Crivillé got an excellent start to his 125cc career and beats everyone hands down. Second is Valentino Rossi, who also won the 125cc at his second attempt, followed by Casey Stoner, who, despite not being famed for his small bike riding, has impressive stats. Marquez didn’t get off to a flyer, although his potential is clear by grabbing his first podium in only 6 races.
In 250cc (Moto2 for Marquez), Marquez’s class begins to shine though. While Dani Pedrosa has easily the best stats, winning his first race and the title in his first year, Marquez has arguably the third most impressive starting record, behind Wayne Rainey, and just ahead of Franco Uncini, world champion of the 500cc class in 1982. Uncini is let down by his low points total, and failure to win a title.
It also becomes obvious just how good the riders are, only Stoner failing to hit a podium finish in single digits – although it should be noted that when he re-joined the 250cc class in 2005 after two years in 125s he scored a win in his second race.
250cc/Moto2 rookie season stats:
Rider |
Races until first win |
Races until first podium |
Points in 1st full season |
Seasons to win first title |
Max Biaggi |
16 |
9 |
78 |
4 |
Jorge Lorenzo |
16 |
5 |
167 |
2 |
Marc Marquez |
4 |
4 |
251 |
2 |
Dani Pedrosa |
1 |
1 |
317 |
1 |
Wayne Rainey |
No wins |
2 |
64 |
No title |
Kenny Roberts |
2 |
1 |
No full season |
No title |
Valentino Rossi |
7 |
3 |
201 |
2 |
Casey Stoner |
17 |
17 |
68 |
No title |
Franco Uncini* |
4 |
3 |
124 |
No title |
*8 races only
When it comes to the premiere class of 500cc of MotoGP, there are a number of notable statistics, and Marquez figures in many of them. All but two of the champions scored a podium finish in under 7 starts – it is clear who will be good riders right from the start, it seems. One rider won their first race in the premiere class (Max Biaggi), while 7 riders scored a podium in their first race (Marquez, Giacomo Agostini, Biaggi, Jorge Lorenzo, Marco Lucchinelli (500cc champion 1981), Dani Pedrosa and Kenny Roberts). Marquez and Roberts scored wins in only their second races.
500cc/MotoGP rookie seasons stats:
Rider |
Races until first win |
Races until first podium |
Points in first 9 races |
Seasons to win first title |
Giacomo Agostini |
7 |
1 |
145 |
2 |
Max Biaggi |
1 |
1 |
148 |
No title |
Àlex Crivillé |
8 |
3 |
71 |
8 |
Mick Doohan |
26 |
6 |
65 |
6 |
Wayne Gardner |
20 |
7 |
88 |
5 |
Nicky Hayden |
39 |
13 |
57 |
4 |
Eddie Lawson |
13 |
3 |
99 |
2 |
Jorge Lorenzo |
3 |
1 |
102 |
3 |
Marco Lucchinelli |
32 |
1 |
116 |
6 |
Marc Marquez |
2 |
1 |
163 |
Season in progress |
Dani Pedrosa |
4 |
1 |
127 |
No title |
Wayne Rainey |
12 |
4 |
125 |
3 |
Kenny Roberts |
2 |
1 |
135 |
1 |
Kenny Roberts Jnr |
42 |
42 |
55 |
5 |
Valentino Rossi |
9 |
4 |
76 |
2 |
Kevin Schwantz |
7 |
7 |
85 |
8 |
Freddie Spencer |
8 |
3 |
98 |
4 |
Casey Stoner |
17 |
3 |
100 |
2 |
Franco Uncini |
25 |
5 |
112 |
4 |
Perhaps the most telling stat is that Marquez has more points, adjusted where relevant for the current scoring system, than any other rider after 9 races. While Rossi, Agostini, Eddie Lawson and Stoner all took two seasons to take their first premiere class crowns, Marquez is still very much on course to follow the path of Kenny Roberts, the last man to win the title in his rookie season. Two races to record a win, a podium in the first race, both renowned for hard riding and leaning off the machine. Marquez holds his own among the very best riders in history.
The only questions left to ask are, when will he win his first MotoGP title? Or, will he be like Pedrosa, all the stats, all the skill, but no luck, stuck in an era of other great riders and restricted by injury?