by M.C. – foto: @marcmarquez93 | Numbers are almost as important in the world of motorsports as they are in mathematical theory: seconds, milliseconds, engine timings… Even pilots’ careers are bound to a number forever, regardless of the season’s outcome (although it didn’t use to be this way in the past). Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) knows his numbers well, as he demonstrated at the Americas GP last Sunday in Austin. Here are some of the numbers that carried the Spaniard to victory as well as other figures from the race.

The first noteworthy number is 93, for it was Marquez’ 93rd MotoGP race at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). The number 93 is not only the Spaniard’s racing number but it acts as his flag and emblem, as well as being the year of his birth. Just as thinking of numbers 46, 99 or 04 immediately conjures up the names Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso, respectively, thinking of number 93 is thinking of Marquez. For the Spanish pilot this race was not only significant for being his 93rd at the Grand Prix of the Americas, he also needed to win in order to leave the controversial Argentinian Grand Prix behind, and ‘do his talking’ on the track, as he himself admitted after the race. Also, this could be his sixth consecutive triumph at the Americas GP, a legendary feat for his career.

Under the excitement and pressure of the circumstances, Marquez took pole position in Austin at the qualifying round, but was penalised after performing a blocking manoeuvre on Viñales, and had to start in fourth. Despite this, the Honda pilot kept his confidence intact and in the moment of truth, he stormed out of the starting line and very quickly got himself at the lead. All the previous controversy from Argentina was put to rest as the number 93 smoothly and decidedly claimed the victory in his 93rd race, earning himself 25 points as a result. Climbing to just one point distance from the World Championship leader Dovizioso, he also achieved the remarkable feat of scoring a sixth straight MotoGP victory. He decided to celebrate the achievement with yet another number: 69, as a tribute to renowned pilot Nicky Hayden, who was killed almost a year ago after being hit by a car while training on his bicycle.

Viñales and Iannone join in the celebrations

Joining the Spaniard on the podium were his compatriot from Yamaha, Maverick Viñales, who was very pleased with the performance that took him to second position; and the Italian Andrea Iannone, who came third with Suzuki while his team was still celebrating the third position of team-mate Alex Rins in Argentina.

Going back to the world of figures, another pilot and two numbers have been the object of great praise in the world of motorsports: numbers are 7 and 12. The first one makes reference to his 7th position and the second one to the 12 days since undergoing surgery in his arm after a fall at the Argentinian Grand Prix. In case you still don’t know which number we are referring to, this is 26, the little Samurai; Dani Pedrosa.