2023-09-27 22:49:07
It’s actually hard to imagine that Marc Márquez will announce his departure from the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer at the Japanese GP at the Mobility Resort Motegi, which belongs to the Honda empire. But anything other than a separation from HRC after eleven years, even though the contract runs until the end of 2024, would be a miracle.
What could be the case for staying with Honda?
– Marc Márquez receives an estimated salary of 18 million euros per year at HRC. At Gresini Ducati he basically offered himself for free.
– The Honda managers convince Marc Márquez that he could be the driver who brings the Japanese back to winning ways. But he has long since lost faith in the capabilities of the HRC engineers.
What are the advantages of switching to Gresini Honda?
– Brother Alex praised the attentive support from Ducati racing boss Gigi Dall’Igna at the first Ducati test in 2023 in Valencia. At Honda there is sometimes an icy atmosphere and there is no communication worthy of the name.
– A year ago, Marc Márquez had no understanding for the dismissal of Technical Director Takeo Yokoyama, didn’t even know the job title of the new Technical Manager Ken Kawauchi at the Sepang GP (“Ah, is he Technical Manager?”) and now knows that the Japanese is another miscast.
– Every Ducati rider except Di Giannantonio is capable of taking the Desmosedici to the podium or to the front row of the grid, even with last year’s models. Bezzecchi has already claimed three Sunday victories with the GP22 in 2023. Brother Alex Márquez has also already won a sprint race at Gresini in 2022!
– Marc Márquez hasn’t won a Grand Prix with the Honda RC213V for two years. The last podium finish on a Sunday (2nd place on Phillip Island) was almost a year ago.
– Marc Màrquez was disappointed a year ago when he tested the 2023 Honda in Misano, Valencia, Sepang and Portimão and stated clearly: “This is not a winning motorcycle.”
– Marc Márquez hasn’t seen a new part at HRC in almost four years that has really made his bike more competitive.
– Exceptions confirm the rule: slopes like Texas (Victory of Rins), the Buddh Circuit and possibly Motegi also prefer the Honda. “But there were also four Ducati faster in India,” says Marc.
– Other true superstars such as Hailwood, Agostini, Lawson and Stoner have also remained victorious on another brand after their successes with one brand.
– Marc Márquez can regain some of his previous consistency at Gresini Ducati for a year (2019: 12 wins and 6 second places in 19 Grand Prix, 2014: won all the first ten races) and then see what kind of work he has for 2025 want.
– Chances of success at Gresini are there, even with a GP23. Because Enea Bastianini won four MotoGP victories and third place in the World Championship there in 2022.
– Marc Márquez is ambitious, but he no longer puts undue pressure on himself. «I have to think about what is the best solution for me. I need a motorcycle with which I can fight for places between 5 and 8 anywhere,” he said in Misano.
– After the completely unsuccessful Grand Prix in Saxony and Assen (he was unable to take part in the race twice on Sunday), Marc Márquez has significantly reduced his willingness to take risks since the Silverstone GP, as he confirms almost every day. This suggests that he sees his situation at Honda as hopeless.
– Marc Márquez made clear demands at HRC in the summer and, for example, demanded that top engineers from Ducati and Aprilia be poached. But so far no commitments from well-known technicians have been announced. KTM, on the other hand, has siphoned off a lot of know-how from Ducati and Aprilia and even Honda in recent years. Aprilia has also strengthened itself with renowned Ducati specialists.
– Even if Honda managed to lure Ducati Corse boss Gigi Dall’Igna to HRC with a huge amount of money with a few top people from Ducati: the Japanese snail can no longer be transformed into a winning motorcycle for 2024. Gigi came to Ducati in October 2013, the first race was won by Iannone in August 2016, the first world title by Bagnaia in 2022. The 30-year-old Márquez doesn’t have that much time.
– With the hopeless new chassis that test driver Stefan Bradl used as a wildcard driver for three days in Misano, Marc Márquez wasted little time in Monday’s test in Misano. «I’ll continue riding the 2023 bike. As I said during the Misano test, I don’t feel comfortable on the 2024 prototype. That’s why I don’t think it’s necessary to test this further.”
– “Marc no longer has much interest in the further development of the motorcycle,” has been heard from the Repsol Honda team for weeks.
– Ducati sports director Paolo Ciabatti said in India: “Gresini has the opportunity; They are waiting for Marc’s decision. He will talk to Honda management in Japan and then decide.”
– The HRC top managers from Ishikawa to Kuwata to Puig have made it unmistakably clear since the Dutch TT at the end of June: “If Marc Márquez wants to leave, we will not force him to stay.” The 59-time MotoGP winner can leave for a free transfer if he signs for a MotoGP customer team.
As I said: I can’t look into Marc Márquez’s head.
But I talk to a lot of people in the paddock and pay attention to the nuances in Marc Márquez’s statements. He emphasized the day before the first Misano training session: “I have decided, the Monday test with the 2024 prototype will no longer influence my decision.”
In India he emphasized on Sunday: “I will ride the remaining Grand Prix on the 2023 bike. Because as I said during the Misano test, I don’t feel comfortable on the 2024 prototype, which is why I don’t think it’s necessary to test it further.
I’m sorry, but you can’t hear much enthusiasm for Honda anymore.
I can’t imagine Marc Márquez quitting at the lowest point in his career or taking a sabbatical. He’s too ambitious for that.
And suspiciously, since the Spielberg GP, Ducati and Gresini actually no longer have a replacement candidate at Gresini in case Marc doesn’t come.
Because Joan Mir is just as out of the question as Franco Morbidelli (at Pramac) and Tony Arbolino (again at Marc VDS in Moto2). And Ducati let Johann Zarco, who was sixth in the World Championship, go to Honda, not least because of Marc Márquez.
MotoGP results, Buddh Circuit (24/9):
1. Bezzecchi, Ducati, 21 Rdn in 36:59.157 min
2. Martin, Ducati, + 8,649 sec
3. Quartararo, Yamaha, + 8,855
4. Binder, KTM, + 12,643
5. Mir, Honda, + 13,214
6. Zarco, Ducati, +14,673
7. Morbidelli, Yamaha, + 16,946
8. Viñales, Aprilia, +17,191
9. Marc Márquez, Honda, +19,118
10. Raúl Fernández, Aprilia, +26,504
11. Nakagami, Honda, +28,521
12. Oliveira, Aprilia, +29,088
13. Pol Espargaro, KTM, +29,728
14. Miller, KTM, + 31,324
15. Bradl, Honda, +35,782
16. Pirro, Ducati, + 49,242
– Di Giannantonio, Ducati, 2 Rounds back
– Bagnaia, Ducati, 8 laps back
– Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia, 10 laps back
– Augusto Fernández, KTM, 15 laps back
MotoGP results Sprint, Buddh Circuit (23.9.):
1. Martin, Ducati, 11 Rdn in 19:18,836 min
2. Bagnaia, Ducati, +1.389 sec
3. Marc Márquez, Honda, +2,405
4. Binder, KTM, + 2,904
5. Bezzecchi, Ducati, + 3,266
6. Quartararo, Yamaha, + 4,327
7. Miller, KTM, + 7,172
8. Viñales, Aprilia, +8,798
9. Raúl Fernández, Aprilia, +10,530
10. Di Giannantonio, Ducati, +10,826
11. Augusto Fernández, KTM, + 11,456
12. Oliveira, Aprilia, +15,415
13. Nakagami, Honda, +17,437
14. Pirro, Ducati, + 23,714
15. Morbidelli, Yamaha, +36,468
– Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia, 4 laps back
– Zarco, Ducati, 5 laps back
– Mir, Honda, 8 laps back
– Marini, Ducati, 1st lap not completed
– Pol Espargaró, KTM, 1st lap not completed
– Bradl, Honda, 1st lap not completed
World Championship standings after 26 of 40 races:
1. Bagnaia, 292 Punkte. 2. Martin 279. 3. Bezzecchi 248. 4. Binder 192. 5. Aleix Espargaró 160. 6. Zarco 157. 7. Viñales 138. 8. Marini 135. 9. Miller 109. 10. Alex Márquez 108. 11. Quartararo 105. 12. Morbidelli 77. 13. Oliveira 69. 14. Augusto Fernández 58. 15. Rins 47. 16. Marc Márquez 45. 17. Di Giannantonio 43. 18. Nakagami 40. 19. Pedrosa 32. 20. Raúl Fernández 29 21. Bastianini 25. 22. Mir 16. 23. Pol Espargaró 11. 24. Savadori 9. 25. Folger 9. 26. Bradl 6. 27. Pirro 5. 27. Petrucci 5.
Constructors’ World Championship:
1. Ducati, 453 Punkte. 2. KTM 253. 3. Aprilia 228. 4. Yamaha 125. 5. Honda 123.
Team World Cup:
1. Prima Pramac Racing, 436 Punkte. 2. Mooney VR46 Racing 383. 3. Ducati Lenovo Team 327. 4. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 301. 5. Aprilia Racing 298. 6. Monster Energy Yamaha 182. 7. Gresini Racing 151. 8. CryptoDATA RNF 102. 9. LCR Honda 91. 10. GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3, 78. 11. Repsol Honda 61.
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