I've always wondered - why is it Maq and not Mar on the MotoGP graphics?
Posted Apr 11, 2015, 3:33 PM UTC
1015
They have to be unique within the class (pretty sure it's not across all classes since Pol was "Esp" in Moto2).
If there are clashes in the first 3 letters they choose something else using a later letter. Simon/Simeon/Simoncelli all clashed at various times so used Sim/Sie/Sic respectively.
Riders with the same surname usually use the first two surname letters and first name initial e.g. EsP/EsA, Vin/ViI, BiB/BiD (Binder).
I'm not actually sure who Marquez clashed with though.
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Adrian Martin in the 125cc class would have been the clash.
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That's what I thought, but I just checked 2 races.
Even though there were 2 other riders 2008 (Martin) and 2009 (Marconi) Marquez had MAR.
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Hmm, interesting. If you can find when it changes to 'Maq' I guess you'd find the answer.
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2010 opening race he is MAQ.
That Martin guy is back on the grid that year, but why MAR became MAQ still not sure.
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So when he makes a comeback it's the return of the mack
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Everyone else uses the first 3 letters of their surname, except for the Espargaro brothers for obvious reasons
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He would've clashed with (I assume) adrian Martin when he joined 125s back in the day
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His brother is Mar. Not sure if they have to be unique across all classes or what.
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He prefers Maq. It's rider preference. Marco Simoncelli went by "Sic". Bradl prefers Brd as opposed to Bra. Aoyama prefers AoH.
He sort of had to use that when his brother was racing as well. Like the Espargaros.
Simoncelli was Sic due to Julian Simon I believe.
From a quick glance it looks like there were a few other riders with "Bra" before Bradl so that's most likely why he has Brd.
I didn't know it was rider preference but it explains why De Puniet had the very cool RdP instead of DeP and why The Espargabros are Es(A/P) instead of (A/P)es. I think Simoncelli was Sic because of Julian Simon though.