Mick Doohan was one of the most dominant riders in Grand Prix motorcycle racing history, and fellow Australian Chris Vermeulen has revealed how he would ‘absolutely destroy’ anyone who tried to dethrone him.
The Australian motorcycle racer took five consecutive 500cc titles between 1994 and 1998, establishing himself as one of the greatest riders to ever grace the premier class.
Among those accomplishments, the 1997 season stands out as his dominant year. In a 15-round season, Dohan He won 12 Grands Prix and took 12 pole positions, standing on the podium a total of 14 times.
He retired from racing the year after he took the lead, setting the sport record with 54 wins from 137 races, including 58 pole positions and 46 fastest laps.
His impact on the sport in Australia cannot be overstated. Jack Miller chose Doohan over Mark Marquez. The line of the dream MotoGP rider.
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Chris Vermeulen explains why Mick Doohan is one of the best riders to compete in the 500cc category
In the recent season Republic Motorsport podcast, former premier class rider Chris Vermeulen was asked his opinion on who should occupy a place on the hypothetical MotoGP Mount Rushmore.
After naming the four riders, it was revealed that Valentino had left Rossi off the list and continued, “I think it’s because of what Marc did in his comeback.
“I chose Casey because I think nobody can touch him for pure talent. Rennie was the greatest with the way he drove, he didn’t lose until he broke his back, right?”
“And after Mick’s injury, he would go on to win five in a row on those 500s and destroy people on similar motorcycles.
“He was a little bit like Marquez on the Honda. Because of his input, the bike became lighter and easier to ride. He went and rode a Honda that was a little faster because no one else could ride it.
“Like, ‘I’m going to go and fuck her because no one else can, and I’m still going to beat you.’ So it is only his thinking to destroy everyone absolutely.
- Read more: Mick Doohan says ‘a lot of people’ were wrong about Jack Miller when he first moved to MotoGP.
Is Mick Doohan the greatest motorcycling candidate born outside of Europe?
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Marc Marquez has previously drawn comparisons with Mick Doohan
Similar to Vermeulen’s comments, Marquez has been compared to Doohan many times in the past.
MotoGP journalist Matt Oxley recently drew a comparison between the two Honda legends.both showing an incredible level of determination to win that sets them apart from their competitors.
Marquez has since usurped the Australian’s title win for the Japanese constructor, and without Dohan making an early impact on the team, it begs the question whether Cervera’s Ant could have been as successful with them had the Australian not been in the team so much.
