Marco Bezzecchi
Neil Hodgson was in awe of Marc Marquez’s ‘classic’ performance in the Spanish Grand Prix Sprint last weekend. Marquez won the race despite crashing during a rain shower.
Controversially, Marquez was not penalised despite cutting across the pit entry after he fell at the final corner. The reigning world champion immediately decided to change bikes.
From there, Marquez aggressively passed his Ducati teammate Francesco Bagnaia and won a remarkable race by three seconds.
Did Marc Marquez end his title hopes at Jerez or was it just a blip?
Neil Hodgson saw the ‘Marc of old’ in Jerez Sprint
Speaking on TNT Sports before the main race on Sunday, Hodgson compared Marquez to a ‘wild animal’. The ‘adrenaline’ took over after he switched onto the wet bike and hunted down Bagnaia.
Hodgson applauded Marquez’s quick thinking after he lost the front, as well as the composure he showed to avoid making contact with another rider when he rejoined.
It was Marquez’s second Sprint victory of the year after his triumph in Brazil, though he’s still waiting for a first podium on a Sunday.
“As the front-folded, you can see his hand grab the clutch,” said Hodgson. “At that point, all he’s thinking is, ‘Do not stall this bike, keep the engine running and I’ve got a chance.’
- READ MORE: MotoGP officials know they must ‘address’ the rules after Marc Marquez’s Jerez Sprint controversy
“Marc waits patiently, and this is why he didn’t receive any penalties. He could have been hasty there, let the clutch out, and then he would have received a penalty.
“He was like a wild animal. Wet tyres on, wet track, full of adrenaline, he’s behind his teammate, miles faster, ‘I’ll just ram him out the way.’
“This was classic Marc, this was Marc of old, this Honda Marc, the champion Marc, watching him. It was a pleasure to watch, really. He absolutely destroyed the field. Crashed, won, how’s about that?”
Marc Marquez’s Sunday points tally this season is alarming
Roser Alenta, Marquez’s mother, is adamant that he’s not ‘finished’ despite his recent slump. The Spaniard has made his worst start to a season (barring his injury-affected years at Honda) in the premier class.
While the rider himself has been keen to take accountability, he appears to be suffering lasting effects from the season-ending shoulder injury he sustained last October. Indeed, Jorge Lorenzo says Marquez can no longer ride with his trademark power.
Marquez has scored 35 of his 57 points (or 61.4%) in Sprint races so far, even though the scoring system is weighted heavily in favour of the Grand Prix. After winning last Saturday, he crashed out from second place on lap two of the main event.
On the opposite end of the scale, championship leader Marco Bezzecchi has only scored six points in the shorter format due to three race-ending mistakes. The Sprints are keeping Marquez just about in contention, and preventing Bezzecchi from streaking clear.
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