Despite having a contract signed with Honda until the end of 2024, no one dares to say for sure that the Cervera rider will compete on an RC213V next year.
#93 faced 2023 with motivation, especially since his physique was already 100% recovered. The feelings Marc had in the pre-season with this year’s bike weren’t the best, but he was confident that his talent and speed could make up for what the RC213V lacked, something we’ve seen him do in the past.
However, based on injuries and poor results – he didn’t score points in a Sunday race until the Austrian Grand Prix – Marc quickly realized that not even the best Márquez in history would be able to do something with this Honda.
The Catalan gave an extensive interview to DAZN in which he admits that “at the beginning of the season, it has been one frustration after another. When you start a season with the Repsol Honda Team, with Honda, with everything around you, you aim for the top. But reality has hit us hard through various setbacks, showing us what we can actually achieve. The present is modest; we are building, and you can’t start with the roof.”
During the conversation with journalist Izaskun Ruiz, Marc is asked if he knows where he will race next year, “yes, I know,” he responds categorically. Then, he’s asked if he will continue to be a Repsol Honda rider in 2024: “Today in Montmeló, yes, I have a contract, right? They’ve put my name on every bike, someone will be right, let’s see who,” says Márquez, laughing.
Another topic that has been widely discussed in recent weeks is the importance of the upcoming Misano test, considered by many as a turning point where Márquez might decide whether or not to continue with Honda in 2024, depending on the feelings the new RC213V gives him. In fact, in the paddock, it’s said that both PRAMAC and Gresini are waiting to see what Márquez says after the test to evaluate a possible departure from Honda towards one of these two Ducati satellite teams.
Regarding this, Márquez made it clear that “everything depending on the Misano test did not come from me. We have to find the best solution for the project. In Austria, new aerodynamics are being tested, and in Misano, they are already starting to “see the 2024 project, whether it will run better or worse. You can already feel the scent of 2024. We have to keep working on the project to find the best solution in every way.”
What he can’t hide right now are the conversations he’s had with other manufacturers, a topic on which Marc prefers not to give many details: “There are calls almost every year. Of course, there were calls. When you realize someone is in a difficult moment, of course, there are. Out of respect for all brands, I won’t say who or how it happened. But there were contacts, obviously.”
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