Marc Marquez is on the verge of winning his tenth world title, his eighth in the MotoGP class and his second with Ducati. If there were still any doubts, the 33-year-old rider from Cervera is entering the two-wheeled pantheon, proving that his career is far from winding down. After nearly two decades in the Motorcycle World Championship, just imagine the sacrifices it took to reach the summit...
The role of family
Marc Marquez has become the central figure in the MotoGP paddock: the most successful, the most sought-after and cheered by fans, and the most talked-about... always on everyone’s lips. Love him or loathe him, he is the star rider of the moment—and also the highest-paid (and deservedly so). The number 93 rider recalls the financial sacrifices his parents made during his early years in motorcycle racing and highlights the crucial role of a family that believed in his talent (and his brother Alex’s).
In an interview with the radio show “El Cafelito,” he looks back on his first steps on a motorcycle and the key role played by his family—his father, Julià Marquez, and his mother, Roser Alentà. Despite his family’s financial difficulties, he was able to keep racing thanks to the support of the Rojas brothers, who spotted him when he was eight and decided to give him a chance. “From the age of nine, my parents didn’t have to pay for anything anymore,” the soon-to-be ten-time world champion recounted.
Marc’s first ‘sponsors’
It all began when his father entered him in a promotional cup organized by the Catalan Motorcycle Federation. That was when the family from Mataró discovered Marc’s talent and decided to invest in him. “We want to support a young rider, and we’ll be keeping an eye on you.” Their support proved crucial, allowing him to continue progressing in a sport where costs rise with every step up the ladder.
Before that, Marquez’s parents had made many sacrifices to keep their son’s passion alive, investing a large part of their savings. It was a gamble on the future, all for the chance to see little Marc smile. “My parents gave up holidays so they could spend their money on their children and the bike,” the MotoGP superstar continued.
At weekends, the family would travel in a small camper van to take him to races, while his parents juggled their respective jobs, the trips and the costs of competing. Despite all the sacrifices, Marc Marquez stressed that he never felt obliged to repay his parents. “I never felt indebted to my parents; they never asked me for anything in return. They did it because they enjoyed it.” And fate has repaid them handsomely. The Ducati rider’s net worth is now estimated at more than €80 million.
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