In a normal year we would already be sifting through the vocabulary to find new adjectives to celebrate another Marquez victory at the Sachsenring. However, this is not a normal year, neither for Marc nor for Honda. Let’s take a step back in 2010, when the (still) aspiring champion drove 125 races and conquered the German track for the first time. The first victory in Saxony, which was to become his stronghold. Marquez has never stopped since that year: in 2011 he switched to Moto2 and continued winning at the Sachsenring, then did the same when he was promoted to MotoGP in 2013. From 2010 to 2019 (there was no race in Germany last year) nobody ever managed to beat him on this track, which means a streak of 10 uninterrupted victories.
But that’s the past, what does the present say? Marc is definitely not going to Germany as a favorite. The Honda rider came off three zeros in the last GPs, caused by just as many falls. The reason is his physical condition, which is far from perfect after the long stop and the operations he had. To be clear, Marquez has shown that he hasn’t lost an iota of his predatory instincts, he always tries, even at the cost of failure, but his body still doesn’t seem to be able to withstand the stresses of a full race.
On the flying lap (maybe even with the help of a much discussed tow) Marc manages to plaster the situation, but the long exertion of a race has (so far) got him on the ropes. He himself was the first to know his return would be difficult, but patience is not a virtue of champions and logically he couldn’t resist the temptation to hurry things up as quickly as possible. A venial sin that has not paid …
Last week, however, Marquez really wanted to put himself to the test during the Monday tests in Barcelona. In one day he did 87 laps on the RC213V and it was more of a test on his body than the bike. Presumably he knows his limits better now and the copious week off has enabled him to regain his strength in the face of his talisman route.
So far we’ve only talked about the rider, but an important part of the equation is still missing: the bike. Because not only Marc likes the Sachsenring, but also Honda, which had driven three more with Pedrosa before Marquez’s seven victories in a row. Since problems never come by themselves, the RC213V seems to have been at an all-time low in terms of competitiveness in recent years. Nobody is hiding behind a finger now, Alberto Puig has clearly stated that the bike has a problem and Pol Espargarò has even stated that it would help a lot to make concessions in the next year.
It is also a fact that the Honda was created in the image and likeness of Marquez, an extreme motorcycle that requires an extreme style of driving. Exactly what Marc cannot use due to his physical limitations.
The question is: will a friendship stretch be enough to revive the Marquez-Honda duo? There would be no rush, the championship is now gone and the long summer break will be the Spaniard’s best ally, but a good result would be an oasis in the desert waiting for better times. We would then have to see what is meant by “good result”: podium or even victory? Maybe nobody knows, not even Marc, but if there is the right place to be amazed, then it is the Sachsenring. A precious amulet at this time.