Marc Marquez, newly crowned MotoGP world champion, described the toughest challenge in his recent years as an internal struggle following a severe arm injury in 2020. His remarkable MotoGP comeback culminated on Sunday at the Japanese Grand Prix, where the 32-year-old secured his seventh premier class title, marking his first championship win since 2019.
Marquez ended the longest title drought in MotoGP’s premier division after enduring several years marred by injuries and struggling with Honda’s underperforming bikes. His decision to join Gresini Ducati for the 2024 season ultimately set the stage for his 2025 championship victory with the Italian manufacturer.
Overcoming Personal Battles Beyond Physical Injury
Marquez’s recovery process from the broken arm suffered at the 2020 Spanish Grand Prix has been extensively followed. However, he revealed at Motegi that the hardest opponent was his own mindset during these difficult years.
“I feel a super strange feeling,”
Marquez shared after the race.
He explained that while he is enjoying the victory, the experience is complex and mixed with a sense of inner peace after many internal conflicts.
“It’s something that during these last years I was fighting against many, many things,”
he added.
Marquez described the battle as one within himself, with conflicting parts urging both to stop and to push forward.
“One Marc said stop, the other Marc saying continue. But in the end, I tried to follow my instinct, to do my 100%, never give up and try.”
He emphasized the importance of perseverance and living in the moment rather than dwelling on past hardships.
“This is the word: try. Try to do it. We did it. But now just enjoy the moment. I don’t want to remember what I passed by. I just want to enjoy the moment.”
A Triumph That Represents More Than Just a Title
During his post-race celebrations, Marquez referred to his achievement as being “more than a number,” addressing ongoing debates about the value of certain MotoGP titles, considering he is a nine-time world champion across all classes. For him, the title holds greater significance because of the personal challenges he overcame.
“I didn’t know about this ‘more than a number’, and it’s like this – more than a title,”
he remarked.
He reflected on the immense difficulty of his journey, likening his past failures to falling not just to the ground but underground, emphasizing the severity of the setbacks he faced.
Marquez highlighted the crucial support he received from others during this period, acknowledging that he could not have returned without the encouragement and belief of many people around him.
“It was a lot of people that helped me, a lot of people who gave me the chance to follow my way, to say to me to follow my instinct, ‘we will be your friends anyway’, and this also was a very big help.”
Looking Ahead After a Remarkable Comeback
Marc Marquez’s journey from injury setbacks and uncompetitive machinery to world champion serves as a notable example of resilience in MotoGP. His MotoGP comeback with Gresini Ducati demonstrates how determination and support can lead to reclaiming top honors despite daunting odds. As he continues his career, the impact of his story on fans and fellow riders underscores the mental and physical demands behind the sport’s high-speed drama.
