All rider photos sourced from Motogp.com
The 2018 World Champion is back on top! With an effortless performance at this weekend’s race in Jerez, Repsol Honda rider, Marc Marquez earned yet another 1st place podium finish. Not a bad way to start the European leg of the season… Additionally, Marquez swooped back into 1st place in the World Championship rankings by a SLIM 1 point. With a 1.65 second lead over Suzuki rider, Alex Rins, Marc Marquez defended his title at the Circuito de Jerez as he’s been spotted in the 1st place podium position two years in a row.
Interested to learn more about where on the circuit these two riders excelled? Both Marquez and Rins had an excellent performance this past weekend and we are here to identify unique skills that both riders posses.
Alex Rins- Taking the 2019 Season by Storm
P9 to P2 within 25 laps. How does Alex Rins continuously climb his way through the pack each race? It seems to be a mystery… not! Read on Rins fans.
Let’s focus on Alex’s predator / prey index which tied Rossi’s for 1st out of the group. Jumping from P9 to P6 right off the grid, Rins’s predator mindest is clearly reflected in the pattern of his riding. Holding his temporary position for 3-5 laps each time he makes a pass, Rins patiently studies the riders ahead of him, as to not waste any passing opportunities. While some riders try to overtake at any given chance, Rins gives himself a few laps to better understand who he is up against at that moment and how he can utilize his smooth, unique riding style to challenge others. He realizes that at that moment, all that matters is gaining that one position ranking. We are thouroughly impressed by this mature, methodical thinking from such a “green” rider as we often see this from more seasoned riders who are fine tuning their skill sets.
Marc Marquez- An Unstoppable Force
Repsol Honda rider Marc Marquez had quite the comeback at yesterday’s race with one of his classic “check out wins” where he lead the pack for the entire race. With a great start off the grid from P3, Marquez was off and running. Holding the strongest average speed index for all sectors combined, #93 crossed the finish line just 1.6 seconds ahead of Alex Rins. Let’s get down to the nitty gritty… Marquez OWNED sectors 1 and 3. We’re talking dominant in both consistency and speed. And hey, guess what? T3 is the longest of the four sectors with T1 close behind. Gaining ground through the longer sectors, Marquez was able to begin distancing himself from the pack and focus on finding his groove.Onwards to France!