On one side there’s Marc, the young phenomenon who came to MotoGP as a promising talent and immediately proved to one of the stars, 24 years old and already 5 world titles across the classes in which he has competed. A tightrope walker who plays with the laws of physics, turns every move into a spectacle, falls and gets back up, tackles risk head-on and never holds back.
On the other side is Andrea, a (re) emerging champion at 30 years of age, having brought Ducati back to the top with hard graft, after a few years in which there was undoubtedly more disappointment than satisfaction. He has exploded this year, shutting the mouths of critics and proving that a mind as well-trained as the body is no limit.
The official MotoGP site has published two videos of the rivals on social media channels. They have their eyes closes as they visualise the Valencia circuit. “Second, third, fourth, brake, second, second, throttle”, this is Marquez, almost in a trance, all instinct. Dovi, on the other hand, seems to read the asphalt, his voice calm, he points out complicated sections, where you need to be gentle, calm, almost like a teacher.
Two sides of a coin that, when thrown into the air to full onto the track, is identical. Like the 6 wins apiece, as similar as the stubbornness that has kept both men from giving up.
Like in Austria and then in Japan, where they were neck and neck at the final corner. Marquez tried on both occasions, Andrea predicted his rival’s move to beat him. Moves that require a strong heart and real balls… Riders for whom nothing is impossible, or rather for whom everything is entirely doable.
It is these two men who will come to Valencia for the final showdown. It goes without saying that Marquez is the favourite. He has a 21-point lead, not exactly small change, and has already won two titles at Valencia, a track at which the Honda shines.
Dovi, on the other hand, has no strategy, he must win, otherwise Marquez might as well stay in the garage and watch the race with a beer and chips before celebrating the title win. The Desmosedici doesn’t usually stand out at Valencia, but luckily this year predictions made pre-race have generally proved wrong come Sunday.
And Andrea has nothing to lose of course, however it goes it’s been a success, a year to remember and frame. He can enjoy the ride, with nothing to regret as he heads into the off-season. The pressure is all on Marquez, though he knows exactly how to manage it and even hand it out if need be.
We risk falling into fairy-tale rhetoric, the world of happy ever afters, but no rider is happy to lose of course. Never have we needed a double title as much as we do this year, because regardless of whether the crown ends up on Marquez or Dovizioso’s head, we can be sure that they are both very worthy winners.
Source: GPOne.com. Story by Matteo Aglio