Marc Marquez drives Toro Rosso F1 car in Austria

And Dani Pedrosa too. This was today. MotoGP getting a taste of F1.

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Great another Maldostappen crash into everything rider lol.

 

What is the point of these tests? I assume there's little to no chance these guys actually race in F1. Is it just publicity?

I remember Valentino Rossi tested on and off for the Scuderia year back. Maybe he was serious at one point but you'd think F1 teams would give the seat time to people they are actually evaluating as potential drivers for their program.

 

Publicity.

The car he drove was actually an RB8 but in STR livery (because Honda)

 

Except, Marquez is a multi-champion

 

So which F1 driver (current), would have the cohones to do a hot lap on a motoGP?

 

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I think anyone interested in F1 or Motorsport would love to have a successor to John Surtees. One who’s championships spanned both 2 and 4 wheels. Four time world champ of 500CC and also single world championship in F1. This would be great.

 

Honda let Dani drive the F1 car then they fired him.

 

He's not fired yet, and I think it was more like Red Bull let him drive an F1 car, which is powered by Renault unless they shoehorned a Honda PU somehow.

 

I will say this, it will be easier for a motogp guy to go fast on an F1 compared to the other way around. Schummy was pretty good on 2 wheels.

 

I agree

 

Nothing wrong with Marc Marquez trying a Toro Rosso F1 as a publicity stunt. But I hope nothing will come out of it.

Marc Marquez is undeniably talented in MotoGP and the next few years could see him win several more titles, view his age.

He may become one of the greatest riders ever, alongside Agostini, Hailwood and Rossi.

It would be a pity if he was to abandon such a rewarding career for the uncertainty of F1, IMO.

John Surtees lived in a different era; most of his success came on 2 wheels and he just obtained one WDC that was never repeated

 

Marc Marquez will no doubt surpass Rossi in championships. He’s already at 4, and this year will most likely be his 5th. Rossi is at 7 championships.

 

Marc is a crazy talent.... probably would have won on any bike.... but Rossi won on the 2-strokes, First of the 4-stroker 1000cc bikes with no traction aids, won on the 800..... Marc has only won in the digital age..... and always the same manufacturer.

The crazy thing is that these guys are fast on anything with 2 wheels. They are fast on dirt track bikes, supermotos, etc... etc... some of the motorcycle road racers have won mountain bike races.

 

In my humble view MM is the most talented man in ALL motorsports, I started watching Moto GP because of him.

His ability is almost preternatural he has redefined, reinvented riding and I am certain that should he come to F1 he can eat Max, Ocon, Lewis, Seb (and Lando Norris when he is ripe) all of them for breakfast.
Only Fernando has that kind of talent but by the time Marc arrives Alonso will likely be in Indycar and the age difference is too wide for a duel with both in the best age.

Schumi was handy on bikes but almost broke his neck once. He was testing them with nine time rally world champion Sebastien Loeb (his almost neighbor on the cote Lemanique in Switzerland), they were often in Circuits de Bresse or Dijon to which they traveled by helicopter.

 

I think you are far to optimistic in the ability of Marquez (or anyone else) to transition between these very different disciplines. And these disciplines are much farther apart than they were in Surtees' day.

 

Of course he would need a familiarisation period but one detail is very telling: Helmut Marko was there all day observing everything and his praise considering HM is tough as nails with drivers, was as good as any he has ever expressed. This was NOT a casual tourist lapping session.

I have been hoping Marquez can come to F1 and now it seems a medium term possibility. He is bound to get bored dominating Moto GP.
I have many flaws but I always noticed the special ones, such as Senna, I knew from the 1978 Karting world championship at the Le Mans kart track that he was very special, same for Montoya, Verstappen, and now Lando Norris. Most people are reluctant to recognize the arrival of major talent well I have always relished it.
I had just landed from Miami in Gatwick in the early 1990's on a sunday morning, had nothing planned that day so went to Brands Hatch as there were races there to salute my racing friends from my years racing in the UK. Then during the afternoon races which I watched from my car I listened to the Belgian GP and Schumacher winning his first F1 race.
When I walked back to the pits and told my friends they were all saying "No he didn't!" They were in unwilling disbelief.

You had better believe that Marc can do it, again I believe he is THE greatest talent in all of motorport today and in recent memory. If you are not that familiar with him do some research.

 

I love when they do these cross racing series tests. I miss the days when racers would cross over and compete in multiple series / disciplines

 

Nice story with cool history.

Marquez is a top talent. I'm not a fan of him but each time he's on a bike again I'm so impressed by what he does. Cheered for him with his first championship though.