Marc Marquez questioned on quitting Honda: “I saw the rumours…”
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The Repsol Honda star rider returns this weekend for the Austrian MotoGP hoping to complete a grand prix for the first time in a dreadful season.Although he is contracted next year to Honda, his team claimed they would not stand in his way if he demanded a move, with KTM most strongly linked. “I saw many rumours,” Marquez told talkSPORT. “It’s normal when a project, or a rider, is in a difficult situation that rumours appear.“But, you know, I want to say that I will continue competing in MotoGP. Continue fighting as I did in the past.“I am working to find the best for the future.”KTM, whose home race is in Austria this weekend, share Red Bull as a powerful sponsor with Marquez.Their wish to increase the four bikes that they currently have on the MotoGP grid has yet to pay off, so any hope of luring Marquez may have to wait until 2025.At Silverstone, Marquez insisted he would remain at Honda in 2024.“During my career I was loyal to Honda and Honda were loyal to me,” Marquez said.“We have had a special relationship since 2013. They gave me the possibility to jump to MotoGP.Related Honda president’s message to Marc Marquez about rumours of MotoGP withdrawal ‘I won from last on the grid – my hero is Marc Marquez’“From that point I thought only of Honda, Honda and Honda because we were winning a lot, and had very good years.“Now, I am trying to work as a rider to give all my information to our engineers, because we are in a very difficult situation.“Not only me, also Honda, they need to change the project to continue winning. Not only with me, but with other riders.“As a rider I have full commitment to try to improve this project in 2023.”
Last time out at Silverstone, an incident with Enea Bastianini brought Marquez’s race to an early conclusion.The year, which began injury-free, has been blighted by es and broken bones.“It has been a difficult first part of the season,” he said. “We didn’t approach it in the right way, we attacked too much.“I tried to find results that we’re not ready for.“In the second part of the season I want to find stability without injuries. There were too many injuries in only four months.“It’s time to be calm and rebuild confidence, and to find a base.“It has been difficult on the mental side because I started losing confidence on the bike, losing speed in some circuits.“The target now is very different – expectations are low.”
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