“If I did it once, I can do it again,” said Emilio Alzamora on Wednesday at the presentation of the Artbox Racing Team, in a clear allusion to his nearly two decades guiding the careers of brothers Marc and Alex Marquez, with the whom he celebrated 10 world titles and countless victories until their separation in mid-2022.
In a packed room, the sports management company managed by the former Spanish tennis player Galo Blanco, SeventyTwo Sports Group, welcomed Alzamora, who will be part of the project in its sporting aspect, managing the team that will participate in the FIM JuniorGP, but also working “to seek and find the talents that exist in the training categories, to make them grow and bring them, in a few years, to the MotoGP World Championship”, said the Lleida-born rider.
For Alzamora, the mission of this new project is not only to discover and help young pilots reach the elite, “but also to channel their careers after retirement”.
The team is made up of the Australian Angus Grenfell, the Italian Guido Pini and the promising youngsters Carlos Cano (European Talent Cup), 14 years old, and Brian Uriarte, who at just 16 years old is the rough diamond of the group. All under the technical direction of a legend of the paddock, the Italian Massimo Capanna, a life in the MotoGP, where, among others, he worked with Kevin Schwantz, Freddie Spencer, Jorge Lorenzo and Jorge Martin, with whom he was World Champion Moto3.
The drivers of the SeventyTwo ArtBox Racing Team, Angus Grenfell, Guido Pini, Brian Uriarte and Carlos Cano
He makes no comparisons between the debuts of Marquez and Acosta
Alzamora's was undoubtedly a life of sports management linked to the Marquez brothers, especially Marc, who he accompanied for two decades. Pedro Acosta's recent debut in the premier class reminded many of the #93's debut with Honda in 2013, and Motorsport.com took the opportunity to ask the former rider what he thought of the Murciano's rise.
“Acosta's seems to me to be the debut of a rider who shows that it is not a coincidence to win the Rookies Cup, win the first year in Moto3 and the second in Moto2. I believe he is one of those riders who are defined as 'chosen ones'. Perhaps he has a different approach from Marc. For me Marc was a thoroughbred, it was something out of the ordinary. I'm not saying that Pedro isn't out of the world, but I think what Marc did is very different, you can't make a comparison. Pedro is in a different MotoGP, like the current one, with aerodynamics, which does not take away from the fact that he has impressive merit.”
Emilio Alzamora during his time as Marc Márquez's manager
Photo de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Also making his debut this year on a Ducati after 11 years on a Honda is Marc Marquez.
“The debut that was expected. He's competitive, he's at the front, even in testing, leading the sessions, and with a bike that needs some time to adapt due to its characteristics. But when circuits are presented to him favorable, and soon there will be one who has certainly marked red on the calendar, if things go well for him, if he manages to develop the right set-up and has the calm and serenity, I have no doubt that Texas will be able be a turning point…”.
He sees Marc win in Austin and fight for the title
This leads Alzamora to believe that Marc will have a chance to win next week's GP of the Americas.
“Without a doubt, Marc can win in Texas and on all circuits. But when you arrive with a riding style of a bike that is not competitive, you have to adapt, because with the Ducati he needs to relax and find his style. But Marc he has the maturity and talent to soon get his first Grand Prix in his pocket”, is his bet.
In the paddock and also among the fans there seem to be two clear factions: those who believe that Marc can become world champion and those who don't.
“As a driver and as a talent he can become world champion without a doubt. But the World Championship has changed in the sense that there are 21 Grands Prix, 42 races, with the Sprints to the death. I believe that Marc has the maturity to change the his approach to Grands Prix and adapting to what is there now. The key is to finish in the top five in 90% of the races, if you can do that, you get to the last three Grands Prix with a chance of winning the title. And in the transition phase up to the last three races, Marc has time to adapt to the bike, to find his level. The World Championship has changed a lot, the approach is different, but the fast riders will be there at the end to fight for victories”.
Emilio Alzamora, Marc Márquez, Alex Márquez
Alex proved that he is a MotoGP rider
One of Alzamora's last “jobs” for the Marquez family was to take Alex from Honda and take him to the Gresini Racing Ducati, on which he is now in his second year.
“Last year Alex had a fantastic season. Every year is different and this season maybe didn't start in a lucky way, but for me he is demonstrating his talent and, above all, the most important thing: he proved that he is a racing driver. of MotoGP”, he stated against those who doubted him.
“It was very, very difficult to find a MotoGP for Alex, I guarantee you, but once he found a competitive bike (the Ducati), he proved that he is a premier class rider. From then on we will see what he is capable of” , he says with affection and a hint of nostalgia, remembering the youngest of the clan.
“The nostalgia always remains, from when I worked with them, from when I was a driver and won the World Championship… what remains above all are the good memories and a great friendship. It was a dream that came true and that, at the beginning, we couldn't even imagine. When I look at the races now and see Marc, Alex, Pol Espargaro, Pecco Bagnaia, guys who I was able to accompany at the beginning and who we never imagined could get this far.”
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