Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez stopped the best part of an entire generation from realising their dreams in MotoGP during the height of his dominance in the premier class, with Pol Espargaro recently revealing how his compatriot used to make his life ‘hell’.
Throughout his fourteen years on the premier class grid, Marquez has proved to be a thorn in the side of every rider whose ambitions take them to a MotoGP championship battle.
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Valentino Rossi, Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso were all left frustrated as they simply couldn’t get the better of him over the course of the single season, in a testament to how truly dominant the Spaniard was during the opening years of his MotoGP career.
Among those is also Pol Espargaro, who first butted heads with the now seven-time premier class title-winner during their days in the Moto2 category.
- READ MORE: Pol Espargaro suggests Marc Marquez ‘won’t be satisfied’ beating Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP records
Pol Espargaro recalls ‘brilliant’ rivalry with Marc Marquez
In a recent appearance on the ZamTube podcast, the 35-year-old asked several questions regarding his career in the premier class, including the strongest opponent he ever faced, as well as the rival he got the most satisfaction from beating.
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Of course, Marquez was the answer to both questions. As for why, Espargaro said, “I was in the lower categories, racing against him right up to 125cc. In 125cc, we didn’t race together there, but we had some great battles afterwards in Moto2.
“We clashed a bit, but we pushed each other hard. There was a bit of controversy in Moto2. But it was brilliant, believe me, it really was. At the time, it was hell for me because of the pressure; even the press in Spain made a big fuss.
“But looking back, I mean, it was brilliant. After MotoGP, he started with the factory Honda team, I was with Yamaha, a satellite team – the differences there were huge. Those years… they were brilliant.”
Espargaro finished as the runner-up to Marquez in the 2012 Moto2 standings, and would go on to win the world championship in 2013, while the Cervera-born rider claimed his first world title in the premier class as a rookie.
- READ MORE: Pol Espargaro shares why Valentino Rossi changed his mind about Marc Marquez after he joined MotoGP
Unfortunately, the KTM test rider never managed to replicate his world championship-winning form in MotoGP upon his promotion in 2014, but he still managed to showcase his impressive one-lap pace through the clinching of three pole positions in the category.
In terms of why Marquez was always the most satisfying rider to beat, Espargaro added, “The best thing is racing against those who fight hard; you sometimes feel it’s impossible to win, but when you do, it’s a thrill, an incredible joy.
“Later, I was lucky enough to ride with Valentino, Pedrosa, Lorenzo, and so on; I raced with Casey, I rode with Stoner – it was absolutely brilliant, a dream.”
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