Chico Lorenzo explains his theory behind Marc Marquez's MotoGP “greatness”

With Marc Marquez standing on the brink of a record-equalling eighth premier-class title, Jorge Lorenzo's father and coach, Chico, has reflected on the factors behind the Ducati star's greatness.

Jorge Lorenzo was the only rider other than Marquez to win a MotoGP title from 2013 to 2019, after which Marquez suffered career-changing arm injuries at Jerez in 2020.

Speaking on the Fast & Curious podcast, Chico Lorenzo, who continues to run a riding school, explained:

“He is the best rider in history because he has the best numbers in history. But there is something else: Your quality as a rider depends on the quality of your rivals.

“There were times when there were riders who faced rivals who weren't very strong. For example, Doohan won for five years, and he started winning at 29, so he was already older, and he finished at 34.

“And after Doohan got injured, Criville won, then the next year Kenny Roberts Jr won with Suzuki thanks to the rain races where he racked up a lot of points.

“And who came after that? Valentino Rossi. He found the rivals that Doohan had crushed for five years, and he continued winning.

“Until 2009 [Rossi’s] numbers were impressive: Half of his races were victories. If he had retired at that moment, he would have set the bar very high, but he retired 12 years later. And in those 12 years he won 12 races. So after winning half of the races he entered, from then on he won one per year. Notice the importance of the moment you arrive in MotoGP.”

Lorenzo added: “During that shift, Pedrosa arrived, who also started winning races. Stoner arrived, who started winning races and won two titles. Lorenzo arrived, who started winning races and won three titles. And then Marquez arrived, which was the final blow for Rossi.

“So you depend a lot on the rivals you have at any given time.

“Marc Marquez missed Stoner but has encountered the rest of the magnificent four. The four superstars by numbers, who are among the ten best in history, and Marquez was able to beat them all.

“Some were in their decline, like Rossi due to his age. Lorenzo was also there, Pedrosa was very strong. Marquez arrived and was the youngest champion in the premier class.

“He came in with strength, with his way of understanding racing, with that character he has, with that hunger, and with that work ethic. And from then on he has achieved extraordinary numbers, but he has achieved them fighting against three of the best riders in history.

“Plus everything else he's done: Being injured for five years, coming back, being world champion in 2025, and now [on the verge in] 2026.”

After leaving Honda for Ducati, Marquez broke a 1,000-day win drought on a satellite Gresini machine in 2024, then a record five-year title drought with the factory team last season.

But Lorenzo ranks this year's comeback, from a 102-point deficit and further shoulder surgery to a 60-point lead, as unprecedented. “That is historic. When has that ever happened?"

It took Marc Marquez over 30 races to win

An interesting feature of Marquez's World Championship career is that it took him until his third world championship season to win a Grand Prix.

“He took 37 races to get his first victory in 125cc. 37 races!" Lorenzo says.

“Romano Fenati got a podium in his first race and won in his second. Maverick Vinales won in his [fourth] race. You can't achieve that without extraordinary talent. But what has that talent actually done for these guys?

“Maverick, yes, he reached MotoGP and all, but Romano Fenati ended up with nothing.”

Asked about the competitiveness of Marquez's machinery during those early races, Lorenzo replied:

“Look, in 37 races, in at least one of them, the stars have to align. You've seen it many times, right? Riders who for one day, in one race, are invincible.”

"That's my theory"

After giving the example of Scott Redding winning as a 15-year-old at Donington Park, Lorenzo continued:

“I was watching [Marquez] closely because he had already stood out in the Spanish championship and throughout those 37 races it was still clear he was going to make it.

“But because he was always left at the gates of victory, what does that do? He keeps searching and searching: ‘Okay, I still don't have everything I need to win, I keep searching’.

“But notice that after he wins his first race, he gets 10 in the same season. He had learned so much, he had grown so much as a rider because he wasn't quite there, but he didn't give up and he didn't settle.

“So when he finally had it all clear, he started winning. And from then on it was just win, win, win.

“With all that he had learned throughout those 37 races, he had grown so much that he was already above the rest. That's my theory.”

Lorenzo concludes: “Talent is important, but it's not as important as character.

“Marc Márquez's character is clear. Who else could have endured five years with so many surgeries, with that [gym] photo we saw where he's missing all that muscle… It's incredible.”

Marquez will have the first of four remaining chances to win this year's MotoGP title in the Portimao Sprint on 21st November.