Marc Marquez urges ‘no pressure’ to be put on ‘great champion’ David Alonso
“I’m in love with David”
Marc Marquez is “in love” with new Moto3 world champion David Alonso but urged MotoGP not to “put a lot of pressure on him” and allow him time to grow.
The 18-year-old Colombian racer emerged as one of grand prix racing’s hottest prospects after a rookie Moto3 campaign last year that saw him win four times on his way to third in the standings.
This season, Alonso has been the dominant force in Moto3 with Aspar, winning 10 of the 16 grands prix run so far and wrapping up the world title last weekend in Japan with four races to spare.
Marquez has been one of Alonso’s biggest supporters in recent months and once again praised the Moto3 champion, who will step up to Moto2 next year with Aspar.
“I’m in love with David, especially because he’s this kind of guy who is fast, super talented,” Marquez said.
“But he has his feet on the ground, has charisma. So, I mean, he can be - and I think he will be, if I needed to bet - a great champion… he’s already a great champion, but an even better champion in the future.
“But now is time to just enjoy it, the kid needs time.
“Next year he will do some mistakes in Moto2, but don’t put a lot of pressure on him because he is super young.
“And I hope and I wish he can arrive at the top level in MotoGP.”
Marquez previously called Alonso a “sponge”, following a track day together in Spain earlier this year, due to his ability to take onboard feedback and action it.
Reigning double MotoGP world champion Francesco Bagnaia revealed just how studious Alonso is as he continues his development as a rider.
“He was asking me what I was eating for breakfast,” Bagnaia said after Alonso’s world title win.
“In Aragon, he asked me what I was eating before the race.
“Today [on Sunday in Japan] he asked me what I was eating for breakfast.
“So, I think he’s keeping all of these things [in his mind] and it’s something you don’t see in every young rider. So, this is great.”
Alonso's 10th win of the season puts him level with the tally Joan Mir managed in 2017 on his way to the Moto3 title, and is now one away from matching the all-time lightweight class record of 11 victories in a season set by Valentino Rossi in 1997.
