Inducted into the new MotoGP Hall of Fame thanks to his 25 victories and the 1993 title, Kevin schwantz was present last weekend with his wife in the paddock of Misano for the Grand Prix of San Marino.
Specialist journalist Mela Chercoles had the chance to interview him for the site AS.com and asked him if the 2025 title is in sight for Marc Marquez would make the latter the best driver in history.
The response from the 61-year-old Texan, renowned for his attack and visibly still in great shape, is clearly negative but rather emphasizes the performance of returning to his best level after his major injuries, an area that the legendary #34 knows well...
“No, not at all, but I want to emphasize how important it is to recover from your injury, regain motivation and work hard enough to get back to your current level.
What I said at the (Hall of Fame) dinner on Thursday about Marc was that having a brother who competes with you, someone you can ride with every day and be a role model for, instead of training alone, must have helped him a lot. But to achieve what he did after 300 days, more than a year without driving, is very difficult to surpass. You have to work very hard. You have to get back into shape physically, but also prepare yourself mentally to drive at 350 km/h again. And it's never easy, especially when you've been doing it since you were little. You worked your way to the top, then you had to take a break.
I had 25 fractures in one hand and 42 in total, including collarbones, fingers, wrists, etc. I always think an injury takes three times longer to heal, and it took Marc almost four years to get back to his winning, dominating form.
And I don't understand why we all doubted his abilities, because he was already excelling on a Honda that no one else could ride. Put him on a bike that most riders like, and he'll be fast."
If the 2025 MotoGP season was crushed by Marc Marquez, this recalls a certain year for the American linked to the Suzuki 500cc…
“Mick (Doohan) was at his best against Crivillé and other similar drivers, maybe in 1996 or 1997. I think Mick won 10 of the 13 Grands Prix in a year, sweeping almost everything. ( The Australian won 12 of the 15 Grands Prix in 1997.) Back then, there was only one race per weekend and nothing seemed as dominated as what we are experiencing this year. Even in sprint races, where everyone can take risks with different setups, Marc almost always won."
But then, who would be the greatest pilot in history?
Kevin schwantz Kevin Schwantz MotoGP
