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A YOUNG man working as a Glovo delivery driver and studying under a lamp-post sitting on the pavement has attracted the attention of MotoGP whizz-kid Marc Márquez.
Carlos Alegre, 24, was snapped crouched on the ground in the dark with his notebook on his knees and his Glovo moped parked next to him, snatching minutes to do his homework in between delivery calls.
It turned out the youth, from Madrid, aspires to be a competition mechanic and is working hard on the theory side, but does shifts as a delivery rider in Málaga to pay the bills whilst on his course, which is based in the Costa del Sol city.
The picture was taken by Local Police officer Pedro G. Díaz, who uploaded it onto the Guardia Civil's Facebook page.
After his photo went viral, Carlos received a flood of job offers as a trainee mechanic – and may have gained a step into the world of top-flight motorcycling.
Márquez, who became the youngest rookie in history to win a world championship at MotoGP level in 2013, aged just 20, went on to net the title every year until 2019 inclusive, except for 2015 – and may have been in with a chance of equalling his childhood hero and arch rival Valentino Rossi, with seven world championships, if he had not missed practically the whole of the 2020 season due to injury.
His first world title was at 125cc level in 2010, only his third year in competition, and the next two seasons, in Moto2, got him a reserve championship and another championship before his début at the highest level of his sport.
Anyone as keen on motorcycle racing as Carlos would dream of meeting Márquez in person – and in the young student's case, he has even received a personal message from him.
The Repsol Honda rider said: “I really appreciate, above everything, effort, sacrifice and fighting for what you want – I think that's essential in life. At the very least, we'd like to invite you to a Grand Prix once things return to normal [in pandemic terms] so you can see a MotoGP race up close, which I know is your dream, and that way we can meet.”
Márquez said Carlos could come into the pits and find out what happens 'backstage' at a Grand Prix.
The Repsol Honda box Twitter administrators had a message for the dedicated youth, too.
“He dreams of becoming a mechanic at world championship level. He dreams of becoming part of a MotoGP team. And he's working really hard to get there! The Repsol team, at the instigation of Marc Márquez, encourages him to carry on with his efforts to realise these dreams. We like hard-working people! We're sure these dreams will come true!”
Carlos may not have seen the tweets as yet, since he is not on social media, other than WhatsApp.
His surname, Alegre, translates literally from Spanish as 'happy' – and, hopefully, when he sees the personal invitation from MotoGP's top talent of the 21st century, he most certainly will be.
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