IN SEARCH OF THE NEXT MARQUEZ
How do MotoGP’s top manufacturers solve the problem of finding and recruiting the next big thing?
‘Special riders never make excuses’ HRC’S ALBERTO PUIG
Fast and special
Puig knows what it takes to be classed as a MotoGP alien, a special rider who can make a difference.
“The answer to this is universal for every team, not just Honda. First of all, the rider has to be fast, full stop,” Puig said.
“But to clarify that you need to look deeper. There are many fast riders, you see them at every race with their performances. “What I look for is a special rider. For me, a special rider is fast, smart and a hard worker who understands the motorcycle and gives information to the team. “And a rider who never makes excuses for himself. Marc Marquez is one of those, and so was Casey.”
More than money
It is now seven years since Stoner departed the sport prematurely at the end of 2012, famously rejecting a £10 million Honda offer to race for one more year. Marquez rolled into the slot in 2013 and has been a devastating force ever since.
“The problem is that you see riders like Marc or Casey maybe once every ten years if you are lucky. When will it happen again?” says Puig. “And I have been lucky in my job, as a coach and team manager I’ve worked with the best riders in the recent history of the sport. “Casey, Dani, Marc and Jorge... I think I have a very good understanding of what makes a super rider. OK, Jorge is struggling at the moment but you can see what has made these guys so special.”
Ready and waiting
Puig admits there is no secret recipe in the search for the next Marquez, the next Stoner, the next ‘very special’ rider.
“You don’t find a special rider, they appear by themselves,” he adds. “You just have to be watching carefully. Only if you’re an idiot would you not notice them when they appear; but you need to be ready when they do.”
Puig recognises that Honda’s history is a roll call of supertalented riders, with legends such as Freddie Spencer, Wayne Gardner, Valentino Rossi, Mick Doohan and Casey Stoner.
But also that Honda’s racing passion and technology is an important attraction for any prospective rider.
“If someone thinks that it is only Marc making a difference then perhaps they should ask him to ride their bike, we don’t presume to own or totally control Marc’s life,” Puig said.
‘You don’t find a special rider... they appear’ ALBERTO PUIG