News 11 Nov 2013

Rookie MotoGP championship victory a dream come true for Marquez

Repsol Honda's Marc Marquez is celebrating a record-breaking run in the 2013 MotoGP World Championship, crowned at Valencia in Spain.

Spaniard Marc Marquez is celebrating a record run as MotoGP champion.

Spaniard Marc Marquez is celebrating a record run as MotoGP champion.

Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez is celebrating a record-breaking run in the 2013 MotoGP World Championship, crowned at Valencia in Spain.

The 20-year-old became the youngest premier class champion in history after finishing third on Sunday, the first rookie to win the title since Kenny Roberts in 1978.

Following his six race victories earlier in the year – another record for a rookie – Marquez arrived at Valencia 13 points in front of defending world champion Jorge Lorenzo.

Thus Marquez knew that if Lorenzo won today’s race, he ‘only’ needed to finish fourth to make sure of his place in history. But the season finale, watched by a raucous capacity crowd at the stadium-style Valencia venue, was anything but straightforward.

Click here for complete race report.

“I am still in a dream – I can’t yet realise what I did today!” Marquez commented. “Maybe this all happened too early because we didn’t expect the title in my first year.

“I have to say thanks to Honda, the team, my family and everyone who has helped me to enjoy this moment.

“The race result was what I predicted yesterday: Jorge, Dani, me. The first 10 laps I was a little nervous and stiff on the bike. Inside something was telling me I needed to fight, but I had to be clever and think about the championship and not the race.

“It was the longest race of my career, especially the last lap when I was very careful and didn’t push at all. In normal circumstances I would have been ready to fight with Jorge and Dani, but maybe if I pushed more I would have crashed.

“I’m so proud with what we have done this season. The first races I had a lot of moments, but by the second half of the championship I had a learned a lot and was cleverer. The big thing was that Honda helped me so much.”

Marquez is Honda’s 16th world champion in the elite 500cc/MotoGP categories.

The brilliant success Marquez in the riders’ championship was backed up by Honda’s victory in the highly prized constructors’ title.

The success was Honda’s third consecutive constructors’ title in the MotoGP class and brings the company’s total of constructors’ prizes in the elite category to a record-breaking 20.

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