The 2024 championship did not start in the best way for Marc Marquez. Martin’s success in Portugal marked another significant figure for the former Honda rider.
At Honda, for years, everything has revolved around the figure of Marc Marquez. His records were superior to those of Valentino Rossi’s golden era. The Spaniard had arrived at the right time in HRC, taking advantage of Casey Stoner’s surprise departure from racing. The number 93 has been able to impose itself since the first yearbreaking the resistance of much more experienced opponents.
Cabroncito’s growth was halted, exclusively, by Jorge Lorenzo’s success in 2015 in a championship full of controversy. He responded blow for blow in the following years, demonstrating unique maturity. Another rider would have been destroyed by the media confrontation with Valentino Rossi. Marc, however, won another 4 world championships in the top class, putting everyone behind them. The Ducati of the time was not yet that universal racing car capable of winning on all tracks.
La Rossa has grown exponentially with the experience of Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso. The two riders contributed to the creation of increasingly high-performance Desmosedici. Pecco Bagnaia, after his years in Pramac, arrived at the right time in the factory team.
He could have already played it out to the end in 2021, but he made too many mistakes. There were no shortages of crashes in the last two championships either, but thanks to a poor Yamaha in the second half of the 2022 season, he defeated Fabio Quartararo.
In 2023, however, the only opponent was the young Jorge Martin. The latter was stubborn in his comeback, however he missed the decisive blow at the end.
Pecco Bagnaia seemed to have definitively matured and the start of the year had certified perfect vehicle management in Qatar. The Desmosedici has become a dream bike in any condition. It’s no coincidence that Marc Marquez gave up several million to jump on a Ducati. Unfortunately, the GP23 suffered a heavy gap compared to the GP24s.
The data that drove Marc Marquez crazy
The Spaniard didn’t arrive in Italy for a few sporadic podiums. His goal was to win successes and play for the world championships. He hasn’t taken the first step of the podium for over two years. For a talent capable of scoring numerous records in MotoGP it was a bitter awakening in 2024. He should use the first part of the season to climb to the topbut for now he has not gone beyond a second position in the Sprint Race in Portugal.
He scored 27 points in total, already showing a heavy gap to the leader Martin. In the second part of the championships with the updates that will arrive on the GP24, it will be even more difficult for Cabroncito to keep up with the standard bearer of the Pramac team and the riders of the factory team. An old record of his, obtained together with Pedrosa, collapsed with Martinator’s triumph in Portugal. Controversies have already erupted between Bagnaia and Marquez.
Honda had managed a cycle of 10 consecutive victories in the MotoGP era. Ducati has risen to 11, thanks to the victories obtained by Martin (4), Bagnaia (3), Zarco (1), Bezzecchi (1), Bastianini and Di Giannantonio (1). The 2024 championship brought the supremacy of the GP24 to the fore with Bagnaia in Qatar and Martin in Portugal at the top, but there are 8 Desmosedicis on the track.
