Marquez: “Good guys don’t make it!” - Lorenzo: “He doesn’t know another way”
The Repsol Honda rider’s style has been lauded for its bravery and criticised for its aggression but has delivered six MotoGP championships so far.
It has also contributed to two years of injury agony, in part caused by a huge crash in Jerez and his decision to rush back too quickly.
“Good guys don’t make it,” Marquez said in his Amazon Prime Video documentary ‘Marc Marquez: All In’. “You can’t be nice to your rivals.
“And if they say ‘there can be a bit of contact’. Well, there will be contact and a bit more.”
Jorge Lorenzo, his rival turned teammate, added: “He doesn’t know how to ride in any other way.”
Marquez said: “On the last lap, or the last two or three, fighting against Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa or Valentino Rossi.
“There is no gap. They won’t allow it. Sometimes you have to create that gap. You have to create it, throw yourself in, or you both need to move.
“Some riders have done it wrong and haven’t succeeded. Other riders ride on the edge and succeed. That’s what makes a real difference on the last lap.
“As a rider, I like it, I like being risky.”
Marquez is returning from a career-threatening arm surgery this year to launch his bid for a seventh title in the premier class, which would match Rossi’s total.
His opposition are from a new generation to Marquez’s original group of rivals who felt the brunt of his aggression years ago.
Reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia, 2021 champion Fabio Quartararo and emerging hopefuls Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martin are among the younger group who didn’t truly battle against Marquez over the past two years due to his injury issues.
This year, he appears to be in competitive physical shape and is dependant on his Honda bike giving him a chance to show the new generation of riders who MotoGP’s No 1 really is.
He will head to the preseason Portimao test this weekend hoping Honda have delivered the answers to his questions.
