SportsNews
Lorenzo: “Aggressive” Marquez now has more respect for rivals on track
Former MotoGP star Jorge Lorenzo believes Marc Marquez now displays more respect towards rivals while battling with them on track, having initially found his antics to be “very aggressive”.
Lorenzo was one of Marquez’s main rivals during his golden period in the 2010s, with the pair even becoming team-mates at Honda in the former’s final season in 2019.
Their careers have taken different turns since then, with Lorenzo going on to become a commentator for Spanish broadcaster DAZN and Marquez joining the Gresini Ducati team in 2024 after being saddled with injuries and an uncompetitive bike in his final years at Honda.
Lorenzo conceded that he wasn’t a fan of Marquez’s style of racing when the latter graduated to the premier class in 2013 as the reigning Moto2 champion, but feels his countryman has changed the way he rides against other riders over the years.
“In 2013, I didn’t accept his [Marc’s] way of racing, which was very aggressive,” the three-time champion said at Festival dello Sport in Italy. “Now he has a bit more ‘respect’ towards his rivals. It must be said that the rules are stricter than ten years ago.”
Marc Marquez, Repsol Hond and Jorge Lorenzo, Yamaha
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Marquez won six titles in his first seven years in MotoGP, with Lorenzo – then at Yamaha – the only rider to break his run when he triumphed in the controversial 2015 season.
Things started going downhill for Marquez after Lorenzo retired from MotoGP, with a horrific crash at the 2020 season opener in Jerez leaving him with career-altering injuries.
It took multiple surgeries and prolonged layoff periods to put the accident behind, but by the time he was close to full fitness the Honda RC213V had slumped to become the slowest bike on the grid.
Lorenzo believes Marquez would have been able to win several additional titles had his arm not been broken at Jerez four years ago.
“He is a beast on a sporting level,” he said of the 31-year-old. “Since 2020, he has had very bad luck in terms of his physical condition. Without those problems, he would have won at least two or three more world championships.”
Marquez’s struggles at Honda prompted him to leave the Japanese manufacturer with a year left on his contract and join Gresini at the start of the 2024 season.
Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing
© Autosport.com
Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
He will move up to the factory Ducati team next year, partnering Francesco Bagnaia, and will be in a position to challenge for the championship for the first time since 2019.
Lorenzo himself spent two seasons with Ducati in 2017-18 as part of a multi-million deal with the aim of leading the Borgo Panigale marque to its first title since 2007.
Although the Spaniard did hit his stride in his second season after a slow adaptation, the partnership ultimately ended with just three wins to boot.
He ended up moving to Honda for what turned out to be his final year in the premier class, while Ducati slowly turned the Desmosedici into a dominant bike.
Read Also:
Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Miller joins Pramac Yamaha to complete 2025 motorGP grid
Rossi takes another swipe at Marquez over bitter 2015 MotoGP feud
Hailing Ducati’s general manager Gigi Dall’Igna, Lorenzo said he would have been able to achieve the target set out by Ducati had he stayed with the team for a few more seasons.
“We met in 2004, in my last year in 125cc. Fate brought us together at Ducati,” he said of Dall’Igna. “I was very sorry not to have won a title with the Italian brand. I am convinced that, if I had stayed two more years, we would have won it.
“Now it is the best bike. It has no weak points.”
Barcelona inched closer to the La Liga title with a 1-0 win over Mallorca on Tuesday which took them seven points clear of Real Madrid.
Spain international Dani Olmo slotted home to help Barca turn up the heat on second-placed champions Madrid, who visit Getafe on Wednesday. Hansi Flick’s side, aiming for a potential quadruple, outplayed the visitors but could not extend their lead at the Olympic stadium as goalkeeper Leo Roman made save after save.
With Saturday’s Copa del Rey final against rivals Real Madrid in mind, Flick rested several of his usual starters. The coach handed former teenage prodigy Ansu Fati his first start since October and deployed Hector Fort on the left of the defence, with Ferran Torres up front in place of injured top scorer Robert Lewandowski.
Barcelona created several chances in the first half and could hardly believe the score was goalless at the break. Gavi’s deflected shot hit the post, while Torres fired over after Olmo played him in. Fati also fired narrowly off target as the hosts turned the screw, and Roman saved from teenage star Lamine Yamal, before Fort’s shot was blocked as Mallorca rode their luck.
Now 22 and struggling for minutes at Barca, Fati drilled wide of the near post when he might have tested the increasingly busy Roman, before Mateu Morey blasted home at the other end but was offside. Barcelona left the pitch frustrated but swiftly took the lead at the start of the second half, with Olmo firing home after a long string of passes.
Fati came close to a second, but Roman palmed his drive to safety. Flick sent on Raphinha and Fermin Lopez to try and finish the job. Yamal should have added Barcelona’s second when the excellent Pedri sent him through, but Roman made yet another save. The goalkeeper showed good reflexes to thwart Eric Garcia and then clawed out Lopez’s deflected shot when it looked like it was dipping over his head for his 10th save of the night.
It was Roman’s first appearance in the league in 2025 for Mallorca, and although he and his side left without a point to show for it, another save to deny Lopez towards the end underlined his outstanding display. Mallorca appealed for a penalty in stoppage time when Garcia held Abdon Prats in the box, but their appeals were waved away. Barcelona have five games remaining in La Liga, including a mouthwatering Clasico showdown against Real Madrid on May 11.
SportsNews
EPL: He’s two steps ahead – Owen Hargreaves names midfielder Arsenal should replace Partey with
NAF airlifts Airforce students to their destinations across Nigeria
APC CANDIDATES FOR 2025 NIGER STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL ELECTION
Kyari brought structure, stability to NNPCL – NDYC
Trending6 months agoNYA demands release of ‘abducted’ Imo chairman, preaches good governance
- Business6 months ago
US court acquits Air Peace boss, slams Mayfield $4000 fine
Politics6 months agoMexico’s new president causes concern just weeks before the US elections
- Entertainment6 months ago
Bobrisky transferred from Immigration to FCID, spends night behind bars
- Entertainment6 months ago
Bobrisky falls ill in police custody, rushed to hospital
Politics6 months agoRussia bans imports of agro-products from Kazakhstan after refusal to join BRICS
Politics6 months agoPutin invites 20 world leaders
- Politics1 year ago
Nigerian Senate passes Bill seeking the establishment of the South East Development Commission.