20-Year-Old Marquez on a MotoGP Record Tear
2013 MotoGP Championship Records
For most World Championship riders ascending through the ranks, their rookie year in the premier MotoGP class is filled with some ups and many downs.
But for Respol Honda’s Marc Marquez, this isn’t the case so far in 2013 MotoGP. Many attribute the 20-year-old’s performance on the recent MotoGP regulation change that allows a rookie to directly join a factory team instead of having to spend a year on a satellite team, but the young Spaniard is simply fast.
And with his speed arrives much record breaking for the rider who finished on the podium at all three rounds so far this season, including his historic win at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
After winning at CoTA, round 2 of 18 in 2013 MotoGP, the Spaniard broke two of Freddie Spencer’s records set back in 1982. At 20, Marquez became the youngest rider to take a MotoGP pole, and also the youngest rider to take a win.
He also beat teammate Dani Pedrosa’s record of being the youngest rider to win in all three classes. Marquez left CoTA with the championship lead, but was tied with Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo with points. Due to the tie, Marquez couldn’t claim the youngest rider to lead the premier-class series.
But this changed after his controversial last-corner pass on Lorenzo, ironically at “Lorenzo Corner,” allowing him to finish second behind Pedrosa. With his second-place finish, Marquez became the sole leader of the 2013 MotoGP Championship. He now holds the record for youngest rider to ever lead a championship. With his three-race podium streak, Marquez also became the youngest rider to finish on the podium three consecutive times.
MotoGP explains “in becoming the youngest ever sole leader of the MotoGP™ (formerly 500 class) Riders’ Standings, Marquez (aged 20 years and 77 days on Sunday) moved ahead of four-time champion Mike Hailwood (who topped the championship after the 1961 Isle of Man TT, at the age of 21 years and 75 days) and two-time premier class crown-clincher Freddie Spencer (who led the standings after the 1983 South African Grand prix at Kyalami, aged 21 years and 89 days).”
Marquez has been on a tear since winning the 125cc Championship in 2010, following that up with second in the 2011 Moto2 Championship and then the Moto2 title in 2012.
And after only three rounds, Marquez has broken some serious records. Although Valentino Rossi created all the roar in the press when he announced he’d be rejoining Yamaha Factory Racing for 2013 MotoGP, the younger Marquez is now leading the headlines. It’s already an interesting year, and there’s still 15 rounds to go.
