Last year, a record was broken without any chance to be defended. Marc Marquez’s winning streak at the Aragon circuit came to an end in 2020 after he was unable to defend it, as he was still side-lined due to the injuries he sustained at the start of the season. It was a huge shame, especially for viewers who had witnessed his dominance at the track in the past, and was the first time we really started to question the long-term effects of the reigning champion’s injuries. How long would he be out for? How good would he be when he returned? How many more of his records would fall before he returned to physical fitness?
Since his return, Marc has been slowly working at building his strength and confidence back up. The Marquez of old is gone, replaced by a man who clearly has the raw talent but cannot defend it thanks to his weakened physical state. There truly is no kind of training you can do that truly replicates the strength and agility needed to wrestle a MotoGP machine around a circuit, and though Marc worked tirelessly in the months leading up to his return, he still needs time to return to the prowess he once had on one of these motorcycles. We saw a flash of what he’s capable of last round in Catalunya, but a crash in the early stages ruled out what could have been his first podium challenge since he came back to the paddock.
This weekend, another one of Marquez’s records is on the chopping block, but this time he will be there to defend it. The German GP has played host to some incredible races in the last few decades, but one thing has been consistent there, and that is Marc Marquez standing on the top step of the podium. Marquez has won the last ten races he has competed in at the Sachsenring, one in the 125cc class, two in Moto2, and the last seven MotoGP races held at the circuit. It’s the kind of stranglehold that only a rider of Marquez’ talent can achieve, and he’s had similar records before – think back to his unbeaten streak in Texas before 2019 brought that streak to an end. In the modern era of MotoGP, almost no-one has been able to retain such a long run of wins at any circuit in any class, and it’s a testament to just how talented a rider Marc Marquez is that he’s managed to do so at multiple tracks.
Will the Spanish hero be able to defend his title as King of the Ring this weekend? A lot of people seem to believe he has a good shot at the win despite his continued recovery. The Sachsenring is a circuit made up almost entirely of left-hand corners, which previously has played into Marc’s favour as it plays favourably into his background in dirt biking, but this time it may be even more crucial given his injury. Marc’s right arm is a lot weaker than it has been in the past – the bone itself is fully healed, but he doesn’t have the stamina he used to – and so every race he’s ridden since returning to the paddock has been something of a marathon. This weekend offers up a unique set of circumstances where the track will actually have much less of an effect on his injured arm, and won’t require him to fight his own body just to score a decent result.
Another fact to consider is Ducati’s history with this track. The German circuit is something of a sprint, with lots of tight turns and no particularly long straights, and so historically the Ducati has struggled to flex its horsepower advantage here. There’s no doubt at this point that the GP21 is the best bike on the grid this year, but every track we’ve raced at so far has had some way to exploit their advantages. This time out, it’s going to be the riders that really make the difference, not the difference in the speed trap. That being said, Zarco, Bagnaia and Miller have all had fantastic seasons so far, and none of them should be discounted from having a strong weekend here.
The weather may also play a factor. While the forecast looks to be okay for this weekend, the weather at the Sachsenring has been unpredictable in the past, and no rider has ever been able to capitalise on wet tyres quite like Marc Marquez. His riding style is amplified in the wet, with his ability to ride tough lines that no other rider can manage made even more devastating when it’s under difficult conditions. Again, we saw a flash of this earlier in the season at Le Mans, when Marc was able to lead several laps in the wet before unfortunately crashing out. If he can stay on here, then he could be on for a phenomenal result if the heavens open up on Sunday. There’s no guarantee they will, but a wet race in Germany would be exactly what Marc needs to take his first win of the season.
There will be others desperate to challenge, of course. Quartararo will want to set things right after his disastrous finish in Catalunya, and extend his championship lead if possible. This track has favoured Yamahas somewhat in the past, thanks to its winding corners and smooth handling, and Fabio himself managed to take second in qualifying in 2019 behind Marquez. Staying ahead of Marc will be job number one for anyone interested in taking the win, and Quartararo has proven this year that he knows how to lead a race. If anyone can keep the nine-time champ at bay, it would be Fabio.
That being said, the KTMs could also be rather dangerous here. Binder and Oliveria have shown some serious form over the last couple of rounds, with Oliveira taking 45 out of a possible 50 points from the last two races, and this could conceivably be a circuit where they perform well. The KTM can turn on a dime, out-cornering most of the competition on their good days, and another strong weekend could launch either or both riders into championship contention. Oliveira in particular strikes me as someone who could definitely launch a championship challenge this year, and strong finishes here and at Assen before the summer break would do wonders for the Portugese star.
Marquez will enter this weekend with a huge target on his back, but he’s been in this position before. You wouldn’t be crazy to put a good sum of money on him to take top honours on Sunday, but there are more than a few challengers waiting in the wings to break his heart and his winning streak. Whatever happens, it should be a fascinating 30 laps to decide this year’s King of the Ring
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