Undefeated: Marquez’ record at the Ring lays down the gauntlet
The #93 aims to end a 987-day run without a win as Martin and Bagnaia gear up to lead the resistance
Wednesday, 03 July 2024
As we head into the next Grand Prix, the echoes of Francesco Bagnaia’s (Ducati Lenovo Team) masterclass at Assen still ring out on the road to the Sachsenring for the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland. He’s now just 10 points behind Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), the closest margin between the top two since Saturday night in Portugal. And Bagnaia hasn’t consistently been the rider on the chase – as ever, when he’s needed it he’s found that extra bit of magic to claw himself back into contention. This weekend the goal could change again: take back the lead as he arrives from two doubles on the bounce, and on the weekend his makes his 200th start across all classes.
Martin, however, did his first career double at this track last year, completing it thanks to that sublime duel with Bagnaia on Sunday as the two crossed the line split by less than a tenth. He hasn’t needed to claw himself back into contention as he’s remained pretty steadfastly consistent since Day 1 of 2024, barring the standout error on Sunday his Jerez. But everyone will have at least one of those in a season – the mission is to minimise them and Martin is doing that while remaining fast. He’ll likely feel this is a venue where he has the chance to turn the tables of momentum on Bagnaia.
NEVER BEEN BEATEN
That said, there’s one rider on the grid who has simply never been defeated in MotoGP™ at the Sachsenring. Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) won the German GP in 2013, won it in 2014, and then he won it in 2015. In 2016, he won it. He followed that up with a win in 2017. 2018 was a win. Can you guess what happened in 2019? He won it. Even when we returned to the venue in 2021 before his second, major surgery on his arm… he won. That’s eight in MotoGP™. Wait until you find out about his 2010 125cc win, and pair of wins in Moto2™ in 2011 and 2012…
In 2022 he didn’t race as he recovered from that second surgery, and in 2023 he withdrew on Sunday morning after a tough weekend of crashes. Potentially a turning point in other ways, that decision also ensures the stats of starts vs wins remain absolutely staggering for #MM93 in Germany. He’s never been beaten, and that means two things. One, he must – now on arguably the bike to be on at the venue – head in as the clear, clear favourite. Two, if Bagnaia or Martin can beat him, it’s the kind of scalp you take once or twice in a career. And they will be motivated.
ON THE CHASE
Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) remains consistently the fastest rider in the world in the last five or six laps of a Grand Prix, so this time round the ‘Beast’ will want to make a potential journey to the podium less of a grind and qualify further forward. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), after a solid Assen, has had some good form at the Sachsenring so could be a dark horse to try and take the fight to Ducati. Teammate Aleix Espargaro, meanwhile, arrives from a tough Assen and needs to be passed fit after sustaining a fracture in his finger. But he could make his 329th GP start in all classes and become the rider with the third most starts on Sunday, behind Valentino Rossi (432) and Andrea Dovizioso (345).
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) impressed in Assen and is now a key focus in the silly season rumours for 2025, so he’ll be interesting to watch. Teammate Marco Bezzecchi has his future sewn up but is looking for a more positive weekend as 2024 rolls on, and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) now likewise after the #73 was confirmed at Gresini for two more seasons. Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) had a solid Assen but will be looking for more glittering adjectives from the next few races.
At KTM, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) has calmed down the out-of-character errors that had blighted a few rounds, but the South African goes racing to win and will be aiming higher than Assen, where the podium fight remained a little further up the road. Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) had a more muted Dutch GP although he was in the mix with the podium battle on Sunday before a last lap crash out. He’ll also want more. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) likewise, with points – or a lot more of them – a focus as well as pace, with Acosta and Binder finding that margin.
At Trackhouse Racing the team rivalry also remains in the hands of Raul Fernandez at the moment as he more often that not has been in the top ten, with Miguel Oliveira looking to hit back. With neither seat confirmed for 2025 yet either, the American team are very much in the spotlight for that too.
NEW HORIZONS & A HOME HERO
The news finally dropped during the Dutch GP that Yamaha would field two more “factory” spec bikes from 2025 – and as part of a new long-term deal with Prima Pramac Racing. As they do continue to show signs of real progress, that’s another very positive sign. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) makes his 100th start in MotoGP™ this weekend too, at a venue he’s won at. He’ll have a “new” teammate in the box though as Alex Rins recovers from surgery following his wrist fracture and crash in Assen, with WorldSBK rider Remy Gardner joining the garage for the weekend.
At Honda, there was also some recent news: Aleix Espargaro is joining their test team when he retires from full-time racing at the end of 2024. He’ll be working with Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team), already signed up, and Johann Zarco at CASTROL Honda LCR likewise. Joan Mir’s future at Repsol Honda is strongly rumoured but not confirmed, and Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) is likewise not confirmed yet. In the here and now though, the intent shown in signing Espargaro and the ongoing private testing aim to bear more fruit as 2024 rolls on. The marque also have a home hero in the field as Stefan Bradl returns to wildcard action this weekend, taking part in his home GP for the first time since replacing #MM93 in 2022.
The storylines abound, on and off track, and there’s even a fairtytale on the line this weekend as Marquez looks to extend those Sachsenring stats and take what would be an emotional win – 987 days later. Can he do it? Or can Martin and Bagnaia turn fairytale into fable at the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland? Tune in to find out!
SHOWTIME
Saturday
Tissot Sprint: 15:00 (UTC +2)
Sunday
Grand Prix: 14:00 (UTC +2)
