Click-Bait Title About a Secret Marc Marquez Ailment
I don't really have any MotoGP insiders that can feed me information, and even if I did nobody that actually knows if this is true would ever tell anyone. Therefore this is strictly a speculative editorial based purely on my observations from thousands of miles away.
That said...
Marc Marquez does not have the vision that he did when he was winning on a regular basis.
The MotoGP announcers always bring up his career-threatening arm injury, his current thumb issue, how bad the Honda is, blah blah blah, but when was the last time you heard anyone with access to inside information talk about that pesky little diplopia problem that had him sidelined not too long ago? Or the second time it happened to him?
His speed is still there, nobody can say that he is a slow rider. As far as raw talent goes, it is hard to argue that few in the modern era had much more unrefined speed than Marquez, what with those 8 world championships. Racecraft is another story, he has about half as much as the average rookie coming into Moto3 in my opinion, choosing to barge through people more and more frequently instead of setting up a clean pass.
I have been told that I am totally wrong about my criticisms of Marquez' racecraft every time I bring it up, and I am sure I will hear it again, but even when he isn't playing 200mph whack-a-mole, he is often outbraking himself, offline, and/or on the deck. This, to me, seems like he is not able to pick up on his markers and is relying on others to be his seeing eye dog.
Speaking of relying on others....
When it comes to qualifying, he is the the equivalent of the guy at the bar who can't take no for an answer at closing time. He relentlessly follows the object of his desire, even when the rider he has his eyes on to poach some speed from makes a mistake or pulls well off the line to discourage his unwanted advances. I have said for years that his Moto3 rookie actions are going to get someone hurt, and in Assen he is fortunate that he was the only rider to go down when his not understanding that "no means no" caused him to impact another rider.
But Max, I hear the Marquez fanbois shouting from the swingset they have constructed to look like Marquez' nether-regions, It's the Honda! Nobody can ride the Honda! Look, they are all hurt! Honda is to blame!
You are not wrong. The Honda GP bike does seem to be acting a bit like that unlucky tiki idol from The Brady Bunch Hawaii episode, but... Honda has been developing the bike for Marquez over the years, and if the bike they have been developing for the guy that is complaining about it the most (based on his feedback, BTW) isn't working for him? Well, some of the blame has to fall on Marquez, or as I am suggesting, his decreasing vision. Maybe Honda should have kept Pedrosa around?
Anyway...
Like I said, this is all speculation but it might explain why Marquez has been riding by braille more and more as his career gets closer to the end. Let's hope he has the vision to retire while he can still see those 8 world championship trophies..
Just in case this gets to Mr. Marquez.
Dear Marc,
Motorcycle racing is inherently dangerous, and as you well know 100% healthy people with perfect vision have suffered career ending injuries, or worse.
You know that you have a vision problem, one that your doctor has told you will be a potential issue for you going forward, and as strong as you are mentally, that will cross your mind every single time that you throw a leg over your machine.
I am not a big fan of yours, but there are probably a million people that don't feel the way that I do about your riding, hell just listen to thirty seconds of the MotoGP announcers on any race weekend, even if you are not racing.
You have world championships. You have millions of fans. You have Hulk Hogan. You have nothing left to prove. If your vision is compromised, and I can only assume that is, if I was in your Alpinestars boots, I would start looking at retirement.