Alex Marquez will be an official LCR Honda Castrol rider in 2021 after renewing his contract with HRC for two more years. The deal will see the MotoGP rookie race in the LCR Honda Team with full factory support from HRC.
The arrival of Alex Marquez sees the LCR team embark on another new journey with an extremely talented young rider, something the team has vast experience of in the past, following in the footsteps of the likes of Casey Stoner, Stefan Bradl and even current rider Takaaki Nakagami.
With one half of an exciting 2021 project confirmed, the LCR Honda Team still remain focused on a successful 2020 season with their current riders Cal Crutchlow and Nakagami in the saddle.
Cal Crutchlow has represented the team for the past six years and taken three victories – a feat unsurpassed by any other independent team rider – whilst Nakagami has made significant progress since making his MotoGP debut with the squad two seasons ago, and is fully fit once more heading into the eagerly-awaited race-action.
The first round of the revamped MotoGP World Championship campaign will take place this coming weekend at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto in Spain.
Alex Marquez
“I am very proud to announce my renewal with Honda Racing Corporation. HRC gave me the opportunity to race in MotoGP and I am glad to join the LCR Honda Team at the end of 2020 and compete in a big team with great experience in MotoGP. I want to thank HRC and the LCR Honda Team for their trust in me to be able to continue in the Honda family, and I will work hard to prove their confidence with results. Now, I am eager to start the season in Jerez and I am completely focused on giving my best this year.”
Lucio Cecchinello
“First and foremost I’d like to say that we are fully focused on the campaign ahead and look forward to a successful 2020. In Cal and Taka we have two fantastic riders who we believe in fully to shine in the shortened MotoGP season.
“We are delighted to welcome Alex Marquez into our team next season. Alex is a two-time World Champion, a truly exciting prospect, and we are very happy and definitely proud that HRC has assigned us the task of helping him take his next important steps in his MotoGP racing career.
“Over recent seasons LCR’s position as one of the leading independent teams in the MotoGP class has been confirmed with 12 podiums and three stunning victories for Cal Crutchlow. The team is excited about embarking on another project alongside Honda, and as ever we will do our very best to prepare someone who will undoubtedly be a star of MotoGP in the future.”
Honda Racing Corporation have confirmed the signing of Pol Espargaro. The former Moto2 World Champion will join the Repsol Honda Team on a two-year contract.
He will join eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez aboard the Honda RC213V.
Espargaro is one of the most experienced riders on the grid, having raced in the World Championship since 2006 and with 104 premier class Grands Prix contested.
HRC extend agreement with Alex Marquez
Honda Racing Corporation are proud to announce the renewal of Alex Marquez, extending his current agreement until the end of 2022.
During 2020, the former Moto3 and Moto2 World Champion will race in the premier class aboard his Honda RC213V in the Repsol Honda Team.
After winning the title in the middleweight class, Marquez has a whole season ahead to gain experience and make progress in HRC’s long term project, which sees the 24-year old Spanish rider join the LCR Honda Team at the end of 2020.
HRC would like to extend their thanks to Cal Crutchlow for his diligent and tireless work since joining HRC in 2015. With three wins and 12 podiums, the British rider has been a valuable asset on and off track – a constant source of excellent feedback for the engineers and a key part of developing the Honda RC213V in recent years. HRC wish him all the best in his future endeavours.
Alex Marquez
“I am very proud to announce my renewal with Honda Racing Corporation. HRC gave me the opportunity to arrive in MotoGP and I am glad to join the LCR Honda Team at the end of 2020 and compete in a big team with great experience in MotoGP. I want to thank HRC and the LCR Honda Team for their trust in me to be able to continue in the Honda family and I will work hard to prove their confidence with results. Now, I am eager to start the season in Jerez and I am completely focused to give my best this year.”
Alex Marquez
Yoshishige Nomura – HRC President
“HRC are happy to continue working with Alex Marquez through the learning process in the MotoGP category for the next two seasons. After deep consideration and a thorough analysis of the current situation, we believe Alex has a great opportunity to grow in the premier class with full factory support inside the LCR Honda Team. We believe that by following this path over the next three seasons, we will achieve the results both HRC and Alex look for.”
Repsol Honda Team’s Alex Marquez managed to avoid the chaos around him to clinch an impressive victory on his MotoGP debut in Sunday’s first ever Virtual MotoGP Race. The inaugural #StayAtHomeGP was filled with thrills and spills as ten MotoGP riders put on a show to bring a little light relief and entertainment to a tough time for many MotoGP fans around the world.
Petronas Yamaha SRT’s Fabio Quartararo started the race from familiar territory after the Frenchman stormed to pole position in the five-minute qualifying session that preceded the race, a quarter of a second clear of Pramac Racing’s Francesco Bagnaia and over half a second clear of Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Maverick Viñales, who completed the front row.
And they’re off, virtual MotoGP race one kicks off with Quartararo in front
It was then drama from the off as the lights went out, with pole sitter Quartararo alongside Viñales, Alex Marquez and Bagnaia on the run into San Donato and the holeshot anyone’s guess. It was Quartararo who ultimately emerged ahead but he was clearly too late on the brakes when the front-end of his Yamaha M1 washed out from beneath him, incredibly and unfortunately taking out 2021 teammate Viñales in the process.
Alex Marquez and Bagnaia avoided the incident and were able to break clear, with reigning World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) settling into third place after an attempted lunge up the inside by Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Joan Mir.
Alex Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia
Further back, Quartararo was fighting back through the field after his spill, up to fifth after getting the better of Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and the rookie highsiding in spectacular style whilst trying to get back ahead of the Frenchman…
As the leading two crossed the start-finish line at the end of the opening lap there was absolutely nothing between them, having already swapped places, and paint, a good few times. Bagnaia would once again dive past Alex Marquez into Turn 1, but the Spaniard responded immediately after as the Italian ran wide.
The virtual MotoGP field tips in
Meanwhile, chaos was breaking out behind the leading two. Mir was the first to crash out after getting an almighty shunt from his teammate Rins, of all people, and Quartararo wasn’t too far behind, tucking the front at Turn 1 for the second lap in a row. However, the Frenchman respawned on track… before Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) then rode straight into him and the pair crashed out, dropping the polesitter even further down the order.
Onto Lap 3 and Alex Marquez was beginning to edge further and further clear of Bagnaia at the front, with the gap starting to stretch to over half a second. The Pramac rider wasn’t throwing in the towel just yet, however. Just behind them, Viñales was recovering well from his earlier incident and had Marc Marquez in his sights after taking advantage of a mistake from Rins to take fourth.
Alex Marquez took a dominant role
Alas, Viñales then crashed out after braking too late into Correntaio and running into the gravel trap, the factory Yamaha rider visibly annoyed at himself as he slapped his controller in fury. Seconds later though, Marc Marquez would have a crash of his own, allowing Viñales to blast back ahead of the Repsol Honda and into the final podium place.
As the pack filtered through to start the penultimate lap, the podium looked decided but there a battle heating up between Marc Marquez and Quartararo for fourth place. The first MM93 vs FQ20 fight of 2020 would unfold with the Frenchman coming out on top thanks to a move at Casanova-Savelli, despite Marquez throwing everything he had into Arrabbiata 1 as he tried to stop the Yamaha man breaking clear…
Back at the front, Alex Marquez kept his nerve on the final lap to take victory by over seven seconds, joined on the podium by Bagnaia and Viñales.
Alex Marquez – P1
“I’m so happy! I knew before the race I wasn’t the fastest one, especially on one lap, so my target was to be as consistent as I could be. I had a good fight with Pecco in the opening laps until he had his crash at Arrabbiata. I want to say thank you to Putut Maulana [Moe27 – an Indonesian MotoGP eSport rider], who gave me some setup tips! I didn’t pass the tips to Marc because yes he’s my teammate but he’s my rival also! I’m looking forward to doing another race now. I want to do it again, but I want a little more notice! I only had a few days to prepare, so to have a week would be better for next time…”
Alex Marquez takes the win
Pecco Bagnaia – P2
“I did very well in the Qualifying, but unfortunately I crashed during the second lap in the race. I started second and this this helped me a lot, but Alex Marquez was very fast and he started very well. My first podium in MotoGP although in the #StayAtHomeGP Championship. I am very happy,I hope you all enjoyed it.”
Quartararo ended up fourth, despite setting the fastest lap of the race with his final lap, with Marc Marquez completing the top five.
Marc Marquez – P5
“First of all congratulations to Alex on the win, I knew from our time playing together he would be very fast but he did a great job. Of course, I would have liked better than fifth, but the result isn’t too bad and as a team we did well. You need a different style in these kinds of races so I had to adapt my strategy a little bit during the day. A good time and I am really happy to be able to do something for the fans. Now we want to be riding and battling back on track, because it means the world is in a better situation, but first we have to win the battle with the Corona Virus. Stay safe everyone!”
Marc Marquez had to settle for fifth
Rins came out on top in the battle of the Suzuki teammates after he took sixth, ahead of Mir in seventh, with Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), Lecuona and Espargaro completing the top ten.
Virtual MotoGP Race 1 Final Results – 1) Alex Marquez, 2) Pecco Bagnaia, 3) Maverick Vinales
Virtual MotoGP Race One Results
MARQUEZ Alex SPA 25 Repsol Honda Team
BAGNAIA Francesco ITA 20 Pramac Racing
VINALES Maverick SPA 16 Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP
After making his mark in the intermediate class, Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) has made history in the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix, taking second place to crown himself 2019 Moto2 World Champion and become the first ever rider to take both the Moto2 and Moto3 crowns. The number 73 has taken five wins, 10 podiums and six poles in 2019 to reach this milestone.
Alex Marquez
“I’m so, so happy and so thankful to the team. They did an amazing job and gave me the confidence throughout the season and especially this weekend. We came here after some hard races where I was struggling a lot. Today was a really tough race but we managed it in the best way. From lap one the front tyre was difficult to control. The grip was low but I managed the pressure from Luthi behind in the best way. He was pushing quite a lot. But we did a great race. I feel like I’m living a dream and I just want to enjoy this moment with the team.”
Alex Marquez – 2019 Moto2 Champion – MotoGP of Malaysia 2019
Season 2019
The year began with a more muted race in Qatar but a first podium came in Argentina to kick off Marquez’ real challenge. Top gear would be hit a little later in the year but not without a couple of hurdles – the first of which was getting crashed out of the race in Jerez after a front row start. 0 scored on his first visit to home turf, the time was nigh to fight back – and so began a stunning run of victories.
Alex Marquez
At Le Mans, Mugello and Catalunya, Marquez ruled for his first ever three-in-a-row, and he looked able to make it four at Assen before getting crashed out there. Undeterred, the number 73 took up right where he left off in Germany and Czechia, taking another two victories.
Three more podiums in the next four races and only one self-made mistake at Silverstone saw Marquez remain the man in charge, with an advantage that made the flyaways pivotal. A fifth and sixth at Buriram and Motegi were enough to give him a first match point at Phillip Island, but it was a longer shot and after a P8 in the race, the battle rolled on to Malaysia…
2019 British GP Silverstone Qualifying results: 1 – Alex Marquez (SPA – Kalex) 2’04.374 2 – Jorge Navarro (SPA – Speed Up) +0.043 3 – Augusto Fernandez (SPA – Kalex) +0.213
From pole, Marquez put together an impressive race, duelling for the lead with key rival Brad Binder and holding off his closest challenger Tom Lüthi under immense pressure. Taking second place and yet another podium, his tenth visit to the rostrum was enough to secure him the crown.
The road to Moto2 victory
Marquez debuted on the world stage in 2012, the same season he would go on to win the FIM CEV Spanish national title. He made three Grand Prix wildcard appearances with Estrella Galicia 0,0, impressing early on as he took sixth place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya after fighting at the front. At Indianapolis, Marquez also took over from Simone Grotzkyj at Ambrogio Next Racing, with whom he’d make eight appearances and take another top ten before the year was out.
For 2013, Marquez moved up to Moto3 full time with Estrella Galicia 0,0 and a first podium wasn’t too long in coming as the Spaniard got on the box at Indianapolis. Before the season was out, Marquez would also become a Grand Prix winner, coming out on top at a track that would go on to see him take a few more successes: the Twin Ring Motegi. 2014, then, seemed like game on for a shot at the crown.
Now on Honda machinery but with the same team, the season became a duel between Marquez and Jack Miller that went right down to the wire and a crucial decider in Valencia. Marquez took the crown, with three wins and seven further podiums enough to wrap it up on home turf and take his first title.
Álex Márquez moved up to Moto2 with Marc VDS in 2015
From there, the intermediate class beckoned with EG 0,0 Marc VDS. It was a tougher rookie season, but Marquez took regular top tens and took a best finish of fourth twice in a row. The following year began almost tougher than the first, but Marquez pulled it together mid-season and took his first intermediate class podium on home turf at Aragon. The next step was clear: a win.
That came in 2017 as Marquez took a step forward to become a regular frontrunner, taking top fives and podiums more often than not. He also took his first wins in Moto2 – the very first proving a demolition job at Jerez from his first pole in the class. Two more victories rounded out the year – Barcelona-Catalunya and Motegi – and Marquez was fourth overall despite a mid-season injury that saw him sit out Misano.
Alex Marquez topped thje Moto2 Podium at Jerez 2017
In 2018, Marquez was expected to challenge for the title but the season was an unexpectedly tougher one. The number 73 didn’t take a win, although he did take another six podiums and remain a threat at the front. Would 2019 be any different? Most definitely.
Alex Marquez stats
Marquez has stood on the podium 10 times this season so far and 23 times in the Moto2 class, equalling Pol Espargaro, who is in fifth place on the list of riders with most podium finishes in the class, two less than Marc Marquez.
With his brother Marc Marquez having taken the Moto2 title back in 2012, this is the first time two brothers have both clinched the title in the intermediate category.
Alex Marquez – 2019 Moto2 Champion – MotoGP of Malaysia 2019
In addition, with Marc also taking the 125cc title in 2010 and Alex the Moto3 title in 2014, this is the first time that two brothers have won the Championship in two of the same classes of Grand Prix racing.
Marquez is the fifth Spanish rider to win the Moto2 title along with Toni Elias, his brother Marc, Pol Espargaro and Tito Rabat.
Marquez is the eighth different Spanish rider to clinch the title in the intermediate category. Marquez’ title is also 11th in the class for Spanish riders and the 52nd in Grand Prix racing.
Alex Marquez – 2019 Moto2 Champion – MotoGP of Malaysia 2019
With eight wins in Moto2, Marquez is tied in sixth place on the list of riders with the most wins in the class with Andrea Iannone, Franco Morbidelli and Francesco Bagnaia.
Marquez sits in fourth place on the list of Spanish riders with the most wins in the class, behind his brother Marc (16), Tito Rabat (13) and Pol Espargaro (10).
With 23 podiums, Marquez is now tied in third place with Pol Espargaro on the list of Spanish riders with most podium finishes in the Moto2™ class.
With his pole position in Malaysia – his sixth of the season so far and 12th overall in Moto2 – he now sits in fifth place on the list of riders with most pole positions in the class.
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