When Marc Marquez crossed the finish line at the Japanese Grand Prix yesterday, there was no longer any doubt—not only about the title that had seemed inevitable for weeks, but also about the fact that he had achieved something extraordinary by completing one of MotoGP’s greatest comebacks.
Six years had passed since he last stood proudly at the pinnacle of motorcycle racing—years filled with doubts, crashes, broken bones, and whispers of retirement, as the most dominant rider on the grid often appeared to be a shadow of his former self. However, aboard the red Ducati that had once been his nemesis, he was not just winning races but dominating the grid, securing the elusive seventh premier class crown and equalling long-time rival and MotoGP great Valentino Rossi.
“I’m at peace with myself … It was the most difficult challenge of my career. I arrived in MotoGP and straight away I was winning,” Marquez said after his finish at Motegi.
“But then, from glory, I fell to the lowest point of my career with numerous injuries … But I never gave up!”
