MotoGP, Former rider is fearless: "Marc Marquez wouldn't ride so calmly behind anyone other than Alex"

Marc Marquez once again beat his brother Alex at the end of the Argentine Grand Prix. And once again, Alex led for a long time, just like in Thailand, but was unable to do anything when Marc made his decisive attack. The eight-time World Champion took his time to gauge his brother's weaknesses, but once he spotted the flaw at Turn 5, preceded by a long braking point, it didn't take long.Many spectators noticed that Marc Marquez was quite cautious when overtaking, that he didn't rush it. Perhaps this was linked to the identity of his opponent that day? This is the theory of Michael Laverty, a former MotoGP rider.

The wisest among you may remember Michael Laverty (not to be confused with his namesake Eugene), a Northern Irish rider from the early 2010s who completed two MotoGP seasons for Paul Bird Motorsport. Today, he's a consultant for the American media outlet TNT, and has delivered his analysis of the Argentine Grand Prix: « Marc had problems with his medium tireHe made a small mistake that opened the door for Alex, because he couldn't stop the bike. He had to be very careful, because he didn't have the same feeling as in qualifying with his rear tire. It can be said that Alex Marquez was the strongest for three quarters of the race » he claimed, as reported on crash.net.

 

 

According to Laverty, another factor came into play, one that has absolutely nothing to do with the tires: the relationship between the two drivers. Marc Marquez is known for his daring, sometimes very aggressive, overtaking moves. However, he seems to have been extra cautious with his brother. « He initially tried to overtake him, but he released the brakes to avoid contact in the bendHe must have thought he didn't have enough grip to properly attack Alex. Marc Marquez wouldn't ride so calmly behind someone else. He calculated, prepared his overtake from Turn 3, and slipstreamed him. He only had to brake next to him to project himself in front" he added. This analysis is interesting, because it may be a question of the aggressiveness of one of the two if they come to monopolize the best positions often during the season.

 

 

Marc Marquez has already taken an option on the Championship after just two races. No one has yet seen two consecutive hat-tricks (pole, sprint, and race wins) since the introduction of sprints in 2023, and the next round is in Austin. However, according to Laverty, the season is still long. « The next circuit is for Marc, of course. But after that, we will return to Europe. Last year, Pecco Bagnaia beat him in a duel in Jerez. He would probably like Alex to win, but he also loves to do doubles with his brother. he concluded.

What do you think of Marc Marquez's aggressiveness behind Alex Marquez since the start of the season? Tell us in the comments!

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport