Marc Marquez, the eight-time MotoGP World Champion and current points leader, has shared how he modeled his riding style on Dani Pedrosa in his early years in the premier class. From 2013, when Marquez debuted as a rookie, until Pedrosa’s retirement from full-time racing in 2018, the two were teammates at Honda’s factory MotoGP squad.
Among all his teammates, except for Francesco Bagnaia who has managed a race victory since Marquez’s debut, Pedrosa remains the only teammate to have won a grand prix alongside the #93 rider while sharing the same team.
Marquez’s Effort to Emulate Pedrosa’s Riding Despite Physical Differences
Marquez credited Pedrosa as the teammate who taught him the most about controlling a MotoGP motorcycle and achieving speed on the track. In an interview with the Spanish broadcaster DAZN, Marquez explained that he attempted to adopt Pedrosa’s style, adjusting it to his own physicality.
“I learned a lot from Dani Pedrosa, but because he was a teammate and he is the one with whom I have learned the most about how to ride a MotoGP bike, what you have to do to go fast,”
Marquez said.
The challenge was that Pedrosa was at a physical disadvantage, being smaller in height and strength than Marquez. The champion noted,
“I tried to ride like him, but with more strength and a little more aggressive. That’s it, I tried to copy that, because he was the one who rode my bike.”
Incorporating Lessons from Other Riders While Maintaining Individuality
Marquez acknowledged that beyond Pedrosa, he has drawn inspiration from other greats he has competed against, such as Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo. He mentioned learning race management from Rossi and adopting aggressive tactics reminiscent of Lorenzo’s style, although always making adjustments to fit his own approach.
“I have learned to manage races as Valentino [Rossi] managed them, to try to do the hammer mode as Lorenzo did,”
the Ducati Lenovo Team rider said.
“But you cannot copy a rival, you have to try to get closer to his strengths, but ride in your own way.”
Marquez’s Current Standings and Future Prospects
Entering the MotoGP summer break following a dominant performance at the Czech Grand Prix—a weekend highlighted by his fifth consecutive Sprint-Grand Prix double—Marquez holds a commanding 120-point lead over his brother and closest competitor, Alex Marquez, in the riders’ championship standings.
The clear influence of Dani Pedrosa’s riding style on Marquez’s development underlines the importance of teammate mentorship in MotoGP, suggesting that Marquez’s continued success stems not only from his own talent but also from the lessons learned alongside experienced riders.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Why is MotoGP not so popular?
A. Unfortunately, people are more interested in entertainment than sports. MotoGP wants to benefit from this trend but lacks the entertaining personalities needed to create exciting drama.
Q. Has anyone won F1 and MotoGP?
A. John Surtees was famous for being the only person to win world titles in both motorcycle racing and Formula 1 car racing. He showed great talent and courage in both sports.
Q. Who was banned from MotoGP?
A. The Aprilia MotoGP team called the 18-month doping ban on Italian racer Andrea Iannone “absurd.” They expressed support for his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Q. Why is Kawasaki not allowed in MotoGP?
A. Kawasaki faced challenges in performance and high costs, leading them to leave MotoGP at the end of 2008 during a worldwide economic downturn. Today, strict entry rules for new factory teams and a busier racing schedule further discourage Kawasaki from rejoining MotoGP.
