“I have fulfilled my part of the deal, I have had surgery and I have recovered, now it is up to Honda build a bike that allows us to compete with the others to win again”. The world of motoring, the worldthe ‘paddock’ of MotoGPis awaiting the premiere, one of these days, of the spectacular docuseries that, by one of those coincidences of life, Amazon It has found itself in his hands almost, almost, without wanting it. It is a docuseries of five vibrant, shocking, unique episodes, starring, of course, by Marc Marquez Alenta29 years old, eight times world championwho, after the fourth operation on his right humerus, has returned to try to regain the throne of MotoGPwho, in his absence, have occupied Joan Mir (Suzuki), fabio quartararo (Yamaha) y ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia (Ducati).
This is the docuseries, produced by Fast Brothers in collaboration with Red Bull Media House and TBS (Telefónica Broadcast Services), which initially started with the idea of filming, recording and explaining the triumphant season of Márquez and the conquest of his ninth world title and, suddenly, from the Mugello GP (last week of May), became a shocking serial in which fans of 200 countries worldwide will be able to attend, live and (almost) directly, the viacrucis suffered by the champion from Cervera (Lleida) after undergoing the fourth intervention on his arm, humerus and right shoulder and his umpteenth rehabilitation and reappearance.
trade to win
A docuseries that started with an idea ended up becoming a unique document in which, with images, interviews and exclusive sound, the evolution of the season can be followed, if not more triumphant, yes the most vibrant of an athlete who, in the end, has finished smiling when checking that his right arm is already fully recovered and that, as he assures in the documentary, in an overwhelming sequence, pointing with his left index finger to the last and immense scar on his right forearm, he says, almost shouting, euphoric: “If I agreed to have another operation for the fourth time, it was to win again, to win!”
Márquez has already shown that he has fulfilled his part, that he has sacrificed himself, again, for months and months, that he has risked not being able to compete again and that, on returning from his last intervention in the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United Statesworked hard to get back on his feet, get back in time to race this year and help Honda get out of the crisis it’s still in.
“Honda and I know that We must work hard, very hard, to be competitive again. I have already taken several steps forward, I know that this winter I have to take one more step in the physical aspect to confirm that my arm is recovered and ready to compete at the highest level, but now it is up to Honda to give, at least, two steps to put in our hands a competitive motorcycle, which is capable of winning races”, said Márquez during the last test held, last Tuesday, at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo de ChesteValencia.
Márquez, who managed to shorten recovery times after the team from the Doctor Joaquin Sanchez Sotelo broke his right humerus again, rebuilt it and prevented it from continuing to rotate the 34 degrees that made it impossible for MM93 to perform at its highest level, he is convinced that he has already complied with what was agreed with Honda. “Not only me, but also Alberto Puig, as the head of the team and, of course, the Japanese bosses were awaiting the success of this intervention. Now that we know that everything has gone perfectly, it is time to look to the future and, above all, to prepare a bike that allows us to win”, said Márquez before leaving Cheste last Tuesday.
“I still blindly trust Honda, they have never let me down, but we only have one shot and we can’t let it down” Marc Márquez / Repsol Honda Team Rider
It is clear that the way Honda and its racing department Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) has faced this crisis leaves many doubts in the air and there are even those who think that perhaps the winged factory has lost the innovative pace of European factories, as Ducati, Aprilia y KTMwho have dominated the 2022 championship. “I continue to blindly trust Honda because it has never let me down. throughout my career and I know that they are working hard, but the delay that we have with respect to the other brands is great, it is not strange, then, that we close the World-2022 with zero victories and being the last in the constructors’ championship”, said the man from Cervera.
Disappointment in Cheste
Márquez recalled before going on vacation (“although I will spend every day training hard, very hard”) that when he returned to competition, in the Misano test“I was happy for myself, because I was riding again and the arm reacted well. Whom chestit was a test for the bike. Honda sent the technical managers of each of the motorcycle areas to Valencia so that we can supply them with the necessary data to design and manufacture the ideal motorcycle, which we will test in the February test in Malaysia”.
It is evident that what was tested in Cheste was not, in the opinion of the Honda riders and, especially, of Márquez, a big step forward with respect to what they had. “I would have liked to try more things and have more time but, of course, the step we have taken has not been big, much less enough to think that we can start the 2023 championship among the favorites. It was not what was expected, but they already told me that, in Malaysia, we will take one more step compared to today, but one is not worth it, they have to take two steps,” Márquez warned.
Márquez said that he had tested a prototype with slight changes to the engine, chassis, aerodynamics, but the character, the concept, the problems of the motorcycle were very similar to those of this year, what improved on the one hand worsened on the other. “To give you an idea, the times with used tires have been very similar, they were fast, 31 low, but for a circuit that adapts well to my driving they were nothing special. The problem we have is not felt so much on this circuit, but I know how to identify it quickly and it is the same as always”, added Márquez, who continues to ask Honda for more, more of everything, more engine, more ease in braking “our point always strong, now weak”, more acceleration, more top speed….
“I want to think that this is just a first step towards the February test”, continues explaining the champion of Cervera. “But the direction is very similar to what we have now, the feeling is that it is a little different, similar to 2021-2022. You always want more, I can’t say I’m disappointed because Honda is working, they are trying, but we need more if we want to fight for the World Championship. It’s not enough to win,” he warned.
“I want a bike that allows me to win. I don’t care what they do, as if they want to put the rear wheel in front”
After verifying that Márquez was quite disconcerted, not only with the evolution and the poor proposal of Honda in the last test of 2022, but with the way forward, we asked him if he would like it and, even, I would accept that the HRC engineers dared to look for other paths, different, different, novel, even fearing to be wrong. The Catalan champion was clear and forceful: “You can take risks if you know that you are going to take the right direction, if you are convinced that this direction is the right one. I want to think that they are clear about the direction our project should take, but we can’t shoot the air, because we only have one shot: the bike they give me in Malaysia is the bike I will compete with all year and, in that sense, I just hope they don’t make a mistake. we can fail, nor waste it”.
Márquez knows that he will spend a restless winter, trusting but doubting. What he has tasted he does not like. Mind you, he knows that Honda is working hard. “Now everything is in his hands. They are the ones who have to decide. I have told them that I don’t care what they do, as if they want to put the back wheel in front. I only ask for a bike that is better or that is at the level of the others to win. I insist, I went into surgery for the fourth time to win and I want to win again. Like them, of course.”
Marc Márquez demonstrates to Tetsuhiro Kuwata, one of Honda’s bosses, in Spielberg, that his right arm is now fully healed.
Of course, Márquez also smiles because, for the first time in the last four years, you will be able to get through the winter and get organized without the slavery of having to recover from the pile of injuries and surgeries that he has accumulated in his two shoulders and, in the last two years, in his right arm. “I love my physio very much, Carlos (García, his trusted masseuse), very much, but I hope to see him this winter less than other winters. I will go to the gym, I will put myself in his hands but, finally, I face a winter without the need to recover from any operation, which will make me plan my preparation thinking, especially, of activating the dormant muscles of my arm, humerus and right shoulder”.
