July 19 2020. Jerez circuit, Andalusia. While the reigning world champion has just fallen on this Sunday of racing, no one suspects the consequences. Apart from a test the following weekend, Márquez will not return to race to defend his title. The one who had never been injured since his arrival in MotoGP seven years ago is being put to rest. Only problem: no one knows when the latter will make his return.
How will he come back? Will he win the world championship again? Together, let's try to study his case through the prism of history.
What you need to understand is that Márquez is far from being an isolated case. Many other drivers before him experienced serious problems, sometimes repeatedly, and came back more or less well. There are four categories. Today, let's look at the first two.
1°: The injury that ends a career.
They are rare, but they exist. This does not take into account racing deaths, which are in a category of their own. If Marquez were to never race again, we would probably compare his case to that of Wayne Rainey. During the 1993 Italian Grand Prix at Misano, he fell heavily and was instantly paralyzed.
This accident impacted the world of sport, because a talent such as Rainey had to run, to express himself. For the moment, there is no question of that and fortunately. The most likely scenario (in the context of this category) would be for Márquez to end his career of his own free will, so as not to take the risk of aggravating the injury. At only 27 years old, a decision like this would be more than understandable.
In the same style, the American Pat Hennen, star at the end of the 1970s, ended his career following a terrible crash at the Tourist Trophy.
Wayne Rainey at the top of his game, at Hockenheim in 1989. Photo: Gary Watson
2°: The injury that allows a return, but diminished.
This category is treacherous because it plays a huge role on the mental level. Some champions have seen themselves going slower than before and the psychological aspect of such a case is important. If this were to happen, No. 93 would undoubtedly be compared to Freddie Spencer ou Jorge Lorenzo.
Spencer, after a grueling 1983, 1984 and 1985, was physically very tired. Thus, he was more at the mercy of injuries. The latter did not finish a Grand Prix in 1986, and never won a single race again after achieving a historic hat-trick. Despite attempts, he never regained his former level, sometimes stagnating in thirteenth place.
To Lorenzo, it's different and it's the mental aspect that is highlighted. “Por Fuera” was seriously injured at Assen in 2013, and despite a historic race, never returned to the same level in the wet. His repeated injuries accumulated over the years, until he had to stop in 2019.
Jorge Lorenzo's career ended in a sad way. Photo: Michelin Motorsport
This is also the case of Dani Pedrosa : his level regressed as the injuries accumulated and weighed on his mind. This is completely normal, no human being is programmed for this. The small accumulated injuries are sometimes as serious as the big ones, and never allow for an optimal return.
The Márquez case seems to be different, because the latter had never been injured in MotoGP, except for his collarbone problem and his chin, scratched at Mugello in 2013. So, given the history, there is little chance that his previous injuries will play a role in his possible return. We must keep in mind that the Spaniard has never missed a Grand Prix since his arrival.
After looking at the first two categories, we will focus on the remaining two, much happier,
tomorrow at the same time.
Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport
