Marc Marquez says the arm injury and loss of strength he is dealing with have changed the way he views Dani Pedrosa’s achievements. The two Spaniards were factory Honda MotoGP team-mates from 2013 through 2018, while Marquez is described as a seven-time world champion.

In a new DAZN documentary about Pedrosa, Marquez focused on the physical limitations his former team-mate had to overcome. He explained that on a MotoGP bike, a lack of strength cannot be offset without extraordinary technique. Following Pedrosa on track, he said, was effectively a lesson in how to ride the Honda. Marquez’s own current experience of trying to perform without full strength has made that assessment more personal and deepened his respect for what Pedrosa managed to do.

Pedrosa raced from 2006 to 2018 and ended his career with 31 Grand Prix victories. He is often regarded as the best rider never to win the MotoGP title, while also having to deal with bad luck, injuries and the disadvantage of his smaller size and lighter weight against some rivals.

Marquez specifically recalled incidents at Misano in 2012, in Germany and at Aragon in 2013. He also said that he still asks Pedrosa for advice whenever they meet. Pedrosa retired at the end of 2018, became an official KTM test rider and has since made sporadic wildcard appearances. He has said that he has probably made his final MotoGP race start, and he also works as a television pundit for DAZN.