Marc Márquez made a sensational debut in MotoGP in 2013 and, since then, he has left his mark on every Grand Prix season. The man is up for all battles in all conditions and although he falls often, his falls rarely happen during races. However, they still happen, and when they do, it is clear that the same ingredients are present...
A subject which came back to the forefront after a retirement in Austin during a race which seemed promised to him, like the six others in the last six editions of the Grand Prix of the Americas. But the seven-time title winner found himself with his four irons in the air. An accident that reminds us of others.
Exactly three more. Which is not a lot in terms of the number of seasons played. But the circumstances give a feeling of déjà vu. In Texas, for the fourth time, Marquez fell while leading a MotoGP race. For the fourth time, he was not in a direct duel, but with a large lead over the rest of the peloton. In 2014, at Phillip Island, his lead was more than four seconds, two years later at the same place, it was 2,4 seconds. In 2017, he took a lead of 2,2 seconds in Argentina in just three laps. This year in Austin, his closest pursuer was 3,7 seconds away.
“Unforced errors” and therefore avoidable. The question arises as to why Márquez is prone to these errors. There is one thing in common with the four facts Every time, Márquez slipped off the front wheel when braking before a turn and during relatively low temperatures. It was 16 and 12 degrees in 2014 and 2016 at Phillip Island, 20° in Argentina and 21° in Austin.
The same declarations also followed. With the exception of Argentina in 2017, he always said he fell when he wasn't really at the limit. He talked a lot about managing races at the time of crashes, or about letting go of the pressure a little.
It could therefore be that Márquez finds it difficult to keep the front tire temperature and therefore the braking performance of his Honda RC213V under control if he deviates from his usual riding style. Márquez is one of the most aggressive brakers in MotoGP and therefore generates a lot of temperature in the front tire. A fundamentally risky style but which, paradoxically, often seems safer for him than race control.
