Marc Márquez reveals 3 secrets to his winning ways, just by adjusting his riding style. One setting helps him corner more sharply, the other helps him stabilize his brakes better. Both work so well, it’s hard to believe how important riding style is. 👇👇
Marc Márquez, one of MotoGP’s most fascinating and successful riders, has recently opened up about how small adjustments to his riding style—rather than hardware upgrades—give him the edge in races. He says there are three “secret” refinements he makes: one improves his corner entry sharpness, another improves braking stability, and the third is a subtle mindset and control shift that helps everything fall into place. Below is what these three secrets are and how they work together to make him such a formidable racer.
First, the sharper corner entry comes from pushing more aggressively into the turn while still maintaining control. Márquez explains that his ability to commit to corner entry even with the rear wheel still coming down from hard braking is a key element. He smooths out the transition when the rear wheel regains contact with the track so that the bike doesn’t pitch or suddenly shift. That way, he enters the turn with extra lean, more grip, and better positioning—letting him carry momentum through the curve that many other riders lose.
The second secret is in optimizing braking stability. This involves modulating brake pressure precisely, especially during the final moments before the apex of a turn. Rather than simply squeezing the lever hard or locking up the front tire, Márquez adjusts how much he brakes depending on a number of factors: how hot the tires are; how worn the track is; how much fuel remains; even how the suspension and front-end feedback feel in that moment. By doing this, he can brake later, harder, and more confidently—and maintain stability so the bike remains predictable. This lets him trail-brake deeper into corners without getting upset, carrying more speed into the entry.
The third “secret” isn’t a mechanical setting but more of a mental-riding control synergy: it’s about confidence, feel, and adapting continuously throughout a race. Márquez emphasizes that it’s not enough to have one perfect setup; he must read the bike, read the track, read the tires, and constantly adjust. For example, even if earlier laps were stable, conditions change: tire grip decreases, fuel weight drops, ambient temperature shifts. He ensures that his riding style remains smooth, adjusting braking pressure, lean angle, throttle application little by little rather than making big corrections. He allows small inputs to keep the bike balanced and reactive. These continuous adjustments let everything “work in harmony,” making his corner entries sharper and his brakes more reliable. This is especially impressive, given how tiny nuances in muscle pressure or weight distribution on the bike can mean the difference between control and crash.
Putting them all together, these three refined secrets mean: sharper turn-in, more stable braking, and a dynamic feel for what the bike is doing at every moment. Márquez maintains that even small changes in how you ride can translate into big time gains, especially when you’re already running at the limit. Many riders focus on upgrades to the bike; Márquez shows that the rider’s technique, mindset, and adaptability are just as critical.
In many ways, his approach reminds us that what separates champions isn’t always machines—it’s the ability to listen to what the tires, the bike setup, and the track are telling you, and then to adjust precisely while under pressure. When Márquez nails all three: entering corners with precision, braking with stability, and riding with adaptive feel, that’s when he is virtually unbeatable.
