In the previous blogs we talked about the best MotoGP riders in the decades 1980’s until 2010. The last decade, from 2010 – 2020, in our opinion was a true Spanish Armada, since most of these seasons were won by Spanish riders. Is it luck or just coincidence. You tell us.
The triple of Jorge
The Spanish Armada, as we look at it, started in 2010 with Jorge Lorenzo Guerrero (1987). Jorge signed a new contract at the Yamaha-team in 2009. In a pocket-bike crash in 2010 Jorge broke two bones in his hand, due to which he missed a great part of the pre-season tests. None the less, that year he won the championship for the first time. In 2012 and in 2015 he again became the world champion by which he realized his ‘triple’.
Casey Stoner the exception
As far as this decade is concerned, the Aussie Casey Stoner in 2011 was the only exception and the only rider who was able to ‘break’ the Spanish domination. After 2007 this was the second championship for Casey. Previously we spoke of Casey as one of the best riders in the decade 2000-2010. The last decade however, he could only beat the Spanish riders in 2011. Mind you, Jorge Lorenzo became second that year and -as we mentioned- the young Spaniard came back the year after.
Marc Marquez, six times the boss
It’s hard to imagine, that anyone would disagree about Marc’s title of ‘the boss’. He won the championship six times, of which 2016 – 2019 in a row. All together he truly is a great rider.
Marc (born in 1993) made his 125cc debut in 2008 at the Portugal Grand Prix motorcycle race. He took his first podium finish that year on June 22, at the Great Britain Grand Prix motorcycle race. With victories at Silverstone, Assen, Catalonia and the Sachsen ring, Marc was the first driver since Valentino Rossi in 1997, to win five races in a row in the 125cc. At the last race that year at Valencia, he finished fourth and took the world title.
In 2011 he moved to the Moto2 class and in the 2012 season he there too became world champion. In the 2013 season, he made the switch to the MotoGP class. He drove for Team Repsol Honda, with Dani Pedrosa as teammate. In his first year in Moto GP again he immediately became world champion. At the age of 20 he became the youngest world champion in the "royal class" ever. He then dominated the 2014 season. Marquez recorded ten victories in a row, equaling Giacomo Agostini's record, and extending his world title. Together with his brother Álex Márquez, who won the Moto3 championship, he ensured the unique fact that two brothers became world champions in their class in the same year.
The Spanish end
Joan Mir -another Spanish rider- became world champion in 2020. It seemed the Spanish Armada was still going strong. In 2021 however it was the Frenchman Fabio Quartararo who became world champion. Does this mean the end of the Spanish hegemony? If not, what made the Spanish riders so incredibly strong. Is it because they dare to take more risks at the track, is it simply coincidence, or is it something else. Maybe it has nothing to do with their nationality. You tell us. We’re anxious to hear your opinion.
