After just two races in the top MotoGP™ class, Marc Marquez has already set a selection of new milestones for the World Championship.
The Spaniard, reigning Moto2™ World Champion, is yet to finish off the podium since stepping up to the top tier. Furthermore, he has taken the titles of youngest ever pole-sitter and race winner away from former double title winner Freddie Spencer. Whereas the American was 20 years and 196 days of age when he triumphed for the first time in the Belgian Grand Prix of 1982 at Spa-Francorchamps, Marquez managed the feat in Texas at 20 years and 63 days.
The Repsol Honda Team rider also becomes the youngest ever to have won races in three different classes, taking that record away from his own teammate Dani Pedrosa who had achieved it with his maiden MotoGP win in China seven years ago. The one record the Cervera-born rider has not toppled is that of winning your first Grand Prix in the premier class, which Italy’s Max Biaggi managed at Suzuka in 1998.
Other Marquez achievements include the following:
- Being the first rider since Jorge Lorenzo in 2008 to finish on the podium in his first two races since joining the premier class
- He is also the youngest ever rider to lead the World Championship, taking that one away from Lorenzo as well; although he is joint on points with the reigning title holder, Marquez is officially classed as the leader - both have one race win and one third place to their name, but Marquez is the most recent race winner
- Another ‘youngest ever’ fact is that of back-to-back podium finishes, taken away from Randy Mamola who notched up the previous best at Paul Ricard in 1980
- In the way of race fastest lap, the now familiar case applies: Marquez is the youngest ever. That is another record to be taken away from Freddie Spencer, who had posted the quickest lap time during the Nations Grand Prix at Misano in 1982
Furthermore, the following ‘youngest ever’ records could be achieved by Marquez in Jerez this weekend:
- Becoming the youngest rider to clinch back-to-back pole positions, taking the record away from Dani Pedrosa who did it in China and France in 2006
- Becoming the youngest rider to win back-to-back races in the premier class, which would break the current record held by Freddie Spencer who won the opening pair of Grands Prix - in South Africa and France - of his first title-winning season of 1983
- Becoming the youngest to finish on the podium at three consecutive races; that one is currently owned by Jorge Lorenzo, who in his maiden premier class year was on the rostrum for the opening three races (taking his first win at the third, in Portugal)
source : motogp.com
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