With a fourth place and a DNF in the first two rounds, Marc Marquez (Honda) is now further back in the championship standings (after two rounds) than any rider ever to win the MotoGP title. This is according to an analysis published on Crash.net.
Marquez is no ordinary rider of course, and he could conceivably string together a series of wins to pull himself back in contention. It is certainly too early to count him out, but a win in Austin Texas in 10-days time might prove to be a necessary first step.
Marquez has dominated the Texas round … winning every MotoGP race at the venue since it opened several years ago. If current points leader Maverick Viñales (Yamaha) can beat Marquez in Texas this year, this championship series could turn into a much dimmer prospect for Marquez than it already is.
See more of MD’s great photography:
I think Mark Marquez does not care alot about our thoughts.
That kid behind him in the picture is thinking “You’re not that special. I could do just as well if they’d just give me a chance” 🙂
With all those statistics to draw from it’s hard to believe so many know so little.
MM has mentioned his bike’s lack of corner acceleration for quite some time yet he still projects a positive attitude and works hard in spite of the (more than obvious) issue.
I wonder how much longer MM will remain a test pilot for Honda?
seems MM is a genuinely good sport nearly as much as he is a competitor. If MV does win 2017 MM will offer sincere congrats but man I can’t imagine MM will not be thinking damn fr^&*ing Honda POS bike…one of us has gotta go!!
looking at the testing/practice top speeds for 2017, which MV has usually been topping, shows MM (and DP and the Ducs) often having 5-10 KPH faster top speeds than MV. doesn’t seem to do much good coming in too hot and trashing the front tire…drop a tooth on the rear sprocket and gett’r dun MM.
mick doohan had ’em ALL covered in ’92…
“mick doohan had ’em ALL covered in ’92…”
Yeah…blow me.
Sincerely,
Mick’s Right Leg
In the 2006 season Rossi came back from 51 points down to lead the championship going into the last rounds and lost the championship by 5 points when he dropped his bike in a low speed left hander at the final race, Valencia.
One of the things that made 2006 such an interesting season was there was 7 different winners that year and the eventual Champion only won 2 of the races that season, but had hung close enough to the front to amass enough points to win it.
There is a chance the same thing could happen this season as there are maybe 7 different potential winners with 2 on factory Hondas, 2 on factory Yamahas, 2 on factory Ducatis, probably 1 on a factory Suzuki and several sattelite riders with the talent to win a race.
In other words… It’s still anybody’s game
Its about consistency. Marquez now has 2 rounds with poor showing. If Rossi or Vinales can be consistent, It will be tuff for Marquez to reel them in. Like last year, all it takes is one bad day and either of them can have a DNF. Rossi has shown he can live without winning each race. Poor Lorenzo, like Rossi, the Ducati is too foreign, and he is lost. How many more races with Ducati support him, if he cant adapt. Can Honda find the HP or acceleration they are missing? If they can, possibly Marquez wont have to banzai the turns, risking another DNF by falling. DVR set.
Interesting parallel to Supercross this year. Tomac was still in second place in the championships even though he’d won 7 races as compared to the leader Dungey winning only 2 races. Tomac now has the lead having won an 8 race to Dungey, but it was a long process for sure.
Hopefully Vinales doesn’t end up being the Ken Roczen of the season if we’re comparing MotoGP to Supercross. That would Make Rossi Ryan Dungey, and Marquez would be Tomac.
If Crash.net is correct then the odds are definitely against MM. So not too early to have this discussion. But being who he is I wouldn’t put money on it.
This just goes to show us if the best rider doesn’t have a good enough bike to win, no matter who he is, he might become an also ran. 8^ 0
re: “Marquez Will Have to Break a Record to Win Title This Year”
maybe yes, maybe no. all of this is predicated on the assumption Mav will not “YARDSALE” his M1 at some point during the season…? again, as you’ve now seen with your own eyes (do you not trust them?) the Michelin fronts are still SKETCHY. I contend there’s a “digger” in that kid’s future.
Missed this comment before, with Austin coming up in a couple days I wanted to re-read this MotoGP stuff.
“digger”.. that’s funny Norm. This track has some corners that could produce that.
It is way to early in the season to even have this discussion, but since we are, put me in the camp that says this thing is still wide open for ANY of the top guys, not just MM. In a sport where at any given time a season/career/life ending accident can happen, it’s just not over ’til it’s over.
I’ll go even further and add that though MM has oddles of talent and speed, his racecraft is lacking, not the sharpest knife in the drawer, and by a huge margin I might add. Then you have to factor in that the Honda isn’t quite as sorted as it has been in past years. So to think that only MM can spoil Maverick’s party (at the moment) is a bit of a stretch.
Again, they are ALL just a training injury/practice crash/ or pit scooter freak accident away from being out of contention.
Hell Jorge could be in a straight jacket at some mental institution a couple weeks from now and Stoner could step up and bring home the gold, it is still THAT early.
re: “his racecraft is lacking”
not so much.
re: “the Honda isn’t quite as sorted”
ooooh that’s a BINGO… (a nearly orgasmic Standartenfuhrer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ugpg8XruhVk
re: “his racecraft is lacking”
not so much – compared to previously. This season looks to be a good litmus for just how much improvements we’ve seen have solidified.
I think his race craft is pretty sharp. Moto3 champion, Moto2 champion and three-time Premier Class champion… It takes more than speed and talent to get there
I see where you guys are coming from, but I still say the guy’s race craft isn’t inline with his speed. We can agree to disagree. Let’s see what he does in Texas.
POINT: “I see where you guys are coming from”.
COUNTERPOINT: “I still say the guy’s race craft isn’t inline with his speed.”
behold the PARADOX…!!! but notice how this condition isn’t split across say, 2 different people…? no, it is instead contained inside the mind/psyche of the SAME INDIVIDUAL (omg). so this begs the question…
Q: how can it be both…?
A: IT CAN’T.
right then, it is precisely this “confusion conundrum” we’ve seen exhibited (ad nauseam) by various and sundry laymen over the past 20 years, that the Law of NATCORK solves forever.
It takes more than speed to be the total package, race craft also involves strategy, tire conservation, managing a gap, counting to 10 🙂 and a host of other things. Spin it however you want, but the guy at times has shown the chinks in his armor. Not discounting his accomplishments, or his talent. But a scholar he ain’t, and no amount of MM flag waving will change that. But good luck either way.
There is a recently unprecedented number of credible competitors and unpredictability among them (who’s going to be hot THIS week?) to make sweeping generalizations. I think Maverick and Rossi are about as fast as they’re going to be this year and many others have potential to improve. Clogged racing at the front means racing will be close and people will fall down.
Maybe I’ll have to subscribe to a channel to watch this..
Go in person to see it. Austin is a fantastic place to experience and see in the GP there makes it even better.
Well, other than it’s inconveniently located in the place/thing known as Texas.
By “yuuuuge” margin, COTA is the all time best track I have attended. Sonoma Raceway is one tick above Laguna Seca, an outhouse compared to COTA.
Got my image up close w/beloved Texan/Suzuki World 500cc Champion Kevin Schwantz, a motorcycle highlight.
The track is simply stupendous, and I certainly shall attend again. I can not more highly recommend it. The Grandstand was great. Being 75′ from the MM, VR, JLo, Pedrosa at the race start is hair raising, literally (not the figurative literal).
My experience in Texas was fantastic, both the place and the people. Go. You’ll love it.
LOL I’m just poking fun. Granted, in a way that people from Texas will be disgruntled with, but that some others may find satisfying.
That said, I’ve been. Might even go back – of all things there’s an open house apparently every summer at Jim Hall’s oil museum – as in they get out the Chapparals and fire ’em up and such. Seems like a reasonable reason.
The handbilt show, downtown at night, the track. Been the last 3 years, can’t swing it this year.
re: “Maybe I’ll have to subscribe to a channel to watch this”
set your DVR for stun.
“I think Maverick and Rossi are about as fast as they’re going to be this year.”
Hard to say, regarding Maverick. He hasn’t needed to go faster yet, has he?
As for Rossi, well, considering how poorly his testing, practicing, and qualifying have gone, and as uncomfortable as he’s been with the front end of his 2017 M1 so far, I’d have to think that he will definitely get faster whenever he finally makes peace with the thing.
I’d add to that how well he still does in the race.
I think MM still has a chance, but Vinales is in control right now. Rossi is very threatening and could be champ just as easily as Vinales. The X factor is if Honda gets their bike figured out and both MM and Dani Pedrosa said their bikes felt great, just before crashing. Perhaps Honda is close. If so, and just one crash from Vinales and Rossi and MM is back in it. Crutchlow proved the Honda is not too far off. Vinales and Rossi might end up hurting each other simply by being so close to each other in packages.
My ultimate prediction is, a great season is ahead of us.
re: “The X factor is if Honda gets their bike figured out”
not if but when, and when they do Marcus will MARAUD. like icy Atlantic spilling over the forward bulkheads of the Titanic, the results are inevitable.
“like icy Atlantic spilling over the forward bulkheads of the Titanic, the results are inevitable.”
That’s Pulitzer stuff right there!
In the last NBA Championship series, the Cavs won best of seven vs. the Dubs (as in “W” for Warriors), being down by three w/three games remaining (with a lot of obviously horrific officiating favoring the Cavs, which many argue was intentional for ratings and subsequent league profit).
First time any team won the NBA Championship down by three w/three remaining.
So yeah, records are meant to be broken. But I don’t recommend betting on MM this year to win it.
What if it comes down to the last race, and Rossi has the chance to block MM from beating MV to decide the Championship between MM and MV. OMG, that shall be epic.
Would Dorna like that, ya think?
Isn’t it more fun without MM and JLow on the podium?
I’d love to see Rossi (VRo?) win one more, just to show the whippersnappers how it’s done. There is some treachery behind that charisma. That’s why I like him.
re: “What if it comes down to the last race, and Rossi has the chance to block MM from beating MV to decide the Championship between MM and MV. OMG, that shall be epic.”
moderator, please score 2 points on the board under the name “Provo” for seeing what has yet to be seen, thank you.
If anyone can do it, Marquez can. I predict he will either win the championship or crash out of the top five. That seems to be his style.
A couple of DNF’s for the other Aliens and the game is on.
Marquez’s season is over as far as the championship goes. I’m sure he’d love to catch Rossi in second place, but even that seems unlikely. He can ride, but can he do it in must win situations? We’ll see.
Good God man, there are SIXTEEN RACES LEFT! MM will finish second, worst case scenario. Rossi is 38 and gonna fade some as the season goes on. That said, Vinales is off to a great start..kinda reminds me of Casey Stoner in 2007.
Rossi fades? Over the last 3 seasons, he’s averaged 4 podiums in the last 6 races of each year, and he’s come 2nd in the championship in each of those seasons. I wish I was that crappy when I was 38…
re: “Rossi is 38 and gonna fade”
aw man.
“He can ride, but can he do it in must win situations?” Yes he can – what are you talking about?
Yes, of course that’s true.
But last Sunday, he could not win a race he was running by himself, in the lead. There’s no report of malfunction, leaving only rider error.
Myself and others here explain it like this: MM feels the heat from Maverick, thus MM felt a dire need to pull out an insurmountable lead, to such degree that he solo crashed.
If your explanation is different, what is it? The above explanation seems consistent with the analysis that MM is under pressure, which so far has had negative effect on his Championship aspirations.
Then there’s his 4th place finish in race #1…way behind the podium comprising a satellite team. Yes, a satellite team.
Yes, all the places can invert the rest of the season. But as of now, if you bet on MM, the odds are bad.
The Honda kills the front tire, he knew to get a big lead for cushion when the tire goes off, was comfortable at that pace. Argentina is bumpy , and I think that is what caught him and Pedrosa.
Being comfortable at a pace that causes the front end to tuck isn’t going to win races. People can blame Michelin all that they want, but the guys on the podium were on Michelins, too, and they managed to keep it on two wheels for the entire race.
MM is an ass. After blocking Rossi in order to hand the championship to fellow-Spaniard Lorenzo, at what was quite likely Rossi’s last best shot at a final MotoGP championship, I’d be happy to see MM retire. He and Stoner could sit around whining about how unfair life is.
Fred, give me a break, if Rossi had kept his head down and kept on racing instead of slowing down and going out way wide to teach Marquez a lesson, he probably WOULD have won a 10th, since he wouldn’t have gotten penalized and had to start at the back of the pack in Valencia which killed his chances to win. As I’ve said 100 times …choices and consequences.
BTW I am a fan of Rossi