Off The Track | An Inside Look at MotoGP Champ Marc Marquez

Off The Track | An Inside Look at MotoGP Champ Marc Marquez
Repsol Honda's Marc Marquez
Off The Track | An Inside Look at MotoGP Champ Marc Marquez
Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez

Marc Marquez Interview

Ahead of the 2014 Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix – the second and final round of 2014 MotoGP on US soil – we spoke with the fastest rider on two wheels – Marc Marquez.

The 21-year-old Spaniard won the opening 10 rounds of 2014 MotoGP, including a dominant performance in both stateside races at Circuit of the Americas and Indy.

Off the track, Marquez, who lost only at Brno and Misano so far this season, is a quiet fellow. He has a love for motocross, but doesn’t ride on the street. In fact, the Repsol Honda RC213V pilot doesn’t have a motorcycle license.

Marquez spends a considerable amount of time training, mostly on a mountain bike or by running. As MotoGP is extremely demanding on the body, the 5’6” rider’s training is intense to keep his weight at 130 lbs.

When relaxing, Marquez spends his time in the mountains during the winter months, and the beach during the summer months. But he does have one fear – the sea. “I have a fear of the Sea. Especially when its dark.”

Marquez has a favorite vacation spot in the south of Spain that “is quiet with not many people.”

For food, Marquez enjoys pasta, and ham and pineapple pizza. He washes it down with Red Bull – one of Marquez’s major sponsors.

Marquez hails from Cervera, Spain, where he hangs out with his longtime friends: “I live in that town I grew up in since I was 1 year old. And always my friends have been neighbors…its a small town so everybody knows everybody.”

Marquez may be quiet off the track, but when he’s racing, he has complete focus. This helped him set many records, including becoming the youngest rider to earn a premier-class MotoGP title.

Each year he is pushed by his rivals, who constantly change.

“Every year you have a different rival, for example last year was Lorenzo and this year riders like Rossi and Pedrosa. But one thing is that you rival inside the track, but then outside the track you have relationships. Mine with (teammate) Dani Pedrosa is especially good.”

As goes racing, Marquez has had his share of crashes. What does it feel like to crash while traveling over 200 mph? “You don’t have time to think about it when you are there, but of course the feeling is scared. you are really scared.”

Becoming a MotoGP Champion takes much work, but Marquez is still a young 21-years old. To unwind, Marquez says “I go with my friends, and of course I’m 21-years old, so we party. Also, I ride motocross, and, of course I spend a lot of time with my brother (Alex Marquez, Moto3 rider).”

Marquez is currently prepping for round 14 of the 2014 MotoGP Championship at the Motorland Aragon circuit in Spain. He currently has 289 points with five rounds remaining, 74 ahead of teammate Dani Pedrosa and 75 ahead of Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi.

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