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Marc Marquez, currently decimating the MotoGP
field, looks set to be en route to his second consecutive championship in 2014.
(Image source: 3.bp.blogspot.com)
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While I'm finding it very hard to find any authoritative
records on the subject, i.e.; most consecutive wins in-a-row, nevertheless I
did stumble across the mention of Marquez becoming the youngest ever rider to
win nine races in-a-row, eclipsing the late Mike "the Bike" Hailwood.
And can only guess that such legendous' Scooter Pilotes' named Giacomo
Agostini, Hailwood and John Surtees figure into this conversation...
As amazingly, 21yr old Spaniard Marc Marquez
has simply been untouchable this year, having won an astounding nine in-a-row
victories this season, having taken a clean sweep of the championship's races
this year... As I've never heard of anybody ever winning half of the seasons
races in succession; having reached the midway point of this year's 18-race MotoGP
calendar at Germany's Achsenring on July 13th; Aye Karumba!
To try putting into perspective Marquez feat,
only two riders ever in the history of modern Grand Prix Motorcycle racing have
won more than 100 total Grand Prix's, which includes all classes since the
modern era's championship began in 1949, i.e.; 125cc, 250cc, 350cc, 500cc,
MotoGP, etc. With the all-time winner being the great Giacomo
Agostini who retired in 1977, with 122-wins, followed
by countryman Valentino Rossi's 106, as interestingly, both men hail from
Italy.
Current MotoGP rider's George Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa
are the only others to rank in the Top-10, with Lorenzo currently tied for
sixth with 52-overall wins, and Pedrosa eighth, with 48, while the mercurial
Marquez, who's only in his second season of riding the B-I-G Bikes, nee MotoGP
currently resides in 13th place overall with 41-wins, beginning with his first
victory in 125cc's at the 2010 Italian GP.
Thus can anyone stop Marquez's winning streak
this weekend in Indianapolis? As MotoGP will set a "New Track Record"
this Sunday at the Brickyard... Since it'll be their debutant outing on the
newly reconfigured road course.
Marquez has a commanding 77-points lead over Repsol
Honda team-mate Pedrosa
and could afford to sit out Indy plus the following two races and still retain
the points lead!
So can anybody derail the Marquez
Juggernaught at Indianapolis? Or will it become ten race victories in-a-row?
Check it out this Sunday...
POINT STANDINGS
1) Marc Marquez; Repsol Honda 225
2) Dani Pedrosa; Repsol Honda 148
3) Valentino Rossi; Movistar Yamaha 141
4) Andrea Dovizioso; Ducati Corse 99
5) George Lorenzo; Movistar Yamaha 97