Marquez rates 2020 MotoGP rivals, Quartararo ‘not doing enough’ to win
He may not be dominating on track right now, but 'pundit' Marc Marquez still has a few sharpened remarks for his potential MotoGP title successors...
Marc Marquez has tipped his successor for the MotoGP World Championship title to be either Fabio Quartararo or Andrea Dovizioso, even if he didn’t lavish them with much of an endorsement in what is proving to be an ‘unpredictable’ season in the multiple title-winners’ absence.
Marquez confirmed over the weekend he will be forced to sit out the majority, if not all, the remaining 2020 MotoGP rounds as he recovers from his arm injury, meaning he the series will get a new World Champion for the first time in five years.
Nevertheless, following the opening five rounds of what will be a compacted 14-round 2020 MotoGP season, no clear favourite has emerged with four different race winners thus far, three of which have climbed onto the top step for the very first time.
On paper though Quartararo and Dovizioso – currently 1-2 in the standings, three points apart – are perhaps the most reputable candidates, though such has been Marquez’s over-arching dominance over the past few seasons it’s always been difficult to establish his closest rival.
Speaking in an interview DAZN, Marquez was asked about whom he expects to win the 2020 MotoGP title but while he initially identifies Quartararo, he rather pointedly suggests he is ‘not doing enough’ to achieve it as things stands…
In the beginning it looked like Fabio was very strong, but now when you have the pressure, it becomes more difficult. When you don’t have pressure, things come easier. But it is fun to watch, you never know who will win the race. To win the championship, nobody has the extra push. Watching it from home is interesting, so unpredictable.
“After Jerez I would say Fabio [to win the title], but in Brno he struggled too much – if you want to be champion, OK you finish races but it is not enough.
“You need to be at the front and show you are there. He struggled in practice and he is not consistent as last year, but if I had to bet on someone but it would be between Fabio and Dovi. Fabio has the speed, Dovi has the experience.
Indeed, Marquez is more positive towards Dovizioso – who has finished runner-up to him for the past three seasons – suggesting even he would be pleased to see the Ducati man come good.
“If Dovi wins the title everyone would be happy, he deserves it. But also Fabio is a young talent and he showed last year he is very fast, so I will bet on these two riders… and you can’t rule out Vinales, he is there but you cannot miss a lot of races if you want to be World Champion.”
