Although in his debut in the heavy bike category in Qatar he was already third –breaking the record for the fastest lap time–, in the second grand prix, in COTA , Marc Márquez would begin his legend.
With a lap of 2:03.021, on Saturday he got the first of the 62 poles he has accumulated in MotoGP, 0.254 seconds ahead of his teammate Dani Pedrosa , snatching the record for the youngest poleman in the premier class from Freddie Spencer , who he had it in his possession since 1982, when he got it at Jarama.
Already on Sunday, Márquez lost ground at the start, while Pedrosa took the lead. The one from Castellar del Vallés maintained the first position for 12 laps, favored by his softer tire choice. But the rookie knew how to stay calm and, with 9 laps to go before the checkered flag, he got rid of his teammate and knew how to manage the final stretch to cross the finish line with a lead of 1,534 seconds. The first of the 59 victories he has in MotoGP.
In this way, the #93 became the youngest winner in the premier class at just 20 years and 63 days, lowering the mark that Spencer had held since the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix by 133 days.
In addition, Márquez also climbed to first place in the World Championship, tied with Jorge Lorenzo – who had completed the podium in Austin – at 41 points, also becoming the youngest leader in the entire history of the category.
The influence of the rider from Cervera (Lleida) goes beyond the incredible numbers he has achieved in his nine full seasons in MotoGP. Márquez has also revolutionized the way he drives, with a style that defies the laws of physics almost every weekend to save crashes.
Those were the first of the many records that he would break in a season that would culminate in being proclaimed the youngest champion in the history of the premier class.
In recent years, Marquez has been unable to repeat these feats as injuries have become a liability for the Honda rider. After breaking his humerus at the start of the 2020 season, the man from Cervera needed the rest of the season to recover and did not return to the track until 2021.
He scored three wins on his return to the track, including his eleventh in a row at the Sachsenring, but a case of diplopia ended his season early. After a hard winter, he returned with more enthusiasm than ever, but a new encounter with diplopia, fortunately very brief this time, again forced Márquez to get off the bike.
He returned at the 2022 Grand Prix of the Americas, with expectations similar to those in 2013, as everyone knew victory was possible. However, on this occasion, Márquez was unable to step on the top step of the podium due to the problems he suffered at the start, but he left another of his great hallmarks on the track: the comebacks.
↓ The best images of the 2013 Grand Prix of the Americas ↓
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photo by: Richard Sloop
photo by: Richard Sloop
photo by: Richard Sloop
Photo by: Richard Sloop
Photo by: Repsol Media
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Photo by: Bridgestone Corporation
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Photo by: Repsol Media
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Photo by: Repsol Media
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Photo by: Repsol Media
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Photo by: Repsol Media
Photo by: Repsol Media
Photo by: Repsol Media
Photo by: Repsol Media
Photo by: Repsol Media
Photo by: Repsol Media
