Official: Marc Marquez to leave Repsol Honda at end of 2023
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The Spanish star has raced for Honda throughout his premier-class career, winning a record 59 races.But Marquez hasn’t stood on the top step of the MotoGP podium since 2021 and is currently just 15th in the world championship after suffering multiple early-season injuries.Marquez, who took his first podium of the season in his final Japanese GP as a Honda rider last Sunday, is now set to join brother Alex at Gresini Ducati next year.The official Honda statement confirming the split, one year before the end of Marquez’s existing contract, can be seen below:Honda Racing Corporation and Marc Marquez to end collaboration early by mutual agreement’Honda Racing Corporation and Marc Marquez have mutually elected to terminate their four-year contract prematurely at the end of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season.’With a year still remaining on the four-year contract between HRC and Marc Marquez, both parties have mutually agreed to end their collaboration upon completion of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season. Both parties agreed it was in their best interests to each pursue other avenues in the future to best achieve their respective goals and targets.’This brings an end to 11 years of collaboration between the #93 and HRC in which they achieved six premier class World Championships, five Triple Crowns, 59 wins, 101 podiums and 64 pole positions together.Related Bagnaia: Eight Ducatis gives title ‘more credit’, MotoGP 2005 ‘so different!’ Morbidelli: This is what makes Ducati ‘the best’’Marquez took his debut victory in the premier class aboard the Honda RC213V at the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas in 2013 to become the youngest premier class winner and would become the youngest premier class World Champion later that year. In 2014 he defended his title and won the opening 10 consecutive races of year, going on to also claim titles in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 as an HRC rider with the Repsol Honda Team.’Both parties will continue to give their full support for the remaining rounds of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season.’HRC wish Marc Marquez the best in his future endeavors.’
Marquez and Honda’s stunning MotoGP success was brought to a halt by complications to a right arm fracture suffered during a jaw-dropping comeback ride at the 2020 Jerez season-opener.The eight-time world champion still won three races in between further arm surgery and a return of diplopia (double vision) in 2021. But while a fourth surgery in May 2022 finally fixed the limb mobility issues, Honda’s fortunes continued to tank and it suffered a first winless Grand Prix season since the early 1980s.A key moment in Marquez’s decision to quit possibly came at this year’s Sachsenring round, where Marquez struggled to five falls at a track where he had previously been unbeaten in MotoGP and withdrew from the Sunday race.The 30-year-old has adopted a more risk-free approach since, only pushing when he feels confident of avoiding more savage highsides, often for short bursts in qualifying.Reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia recently told : “[After] Sachsenring something has changed in his mentality. Because this is not the real Marc. This is clear to everybody.”The disappointing debut of a 2024 Honda prototype at the Misano test, a few days after Marquez had fuelled speculation over his future with a ‘Things are happening’ football transfer-style social media post, may also have played a part.Previous rumours had been of a Marquez switch to KTM, due to mutual sponsor Red Bull. But when the Austrian factory’s quest for more grid places was blocked, Gresini became the only viable option. But what will Marquez’s longer-term goal be?Since changing from Aprilia to Ducati machinery for the start of 2022, Gresini has won four grand prix races with Enea Bastianini (2022) plus one Sprint victory for Alex Marquez (2023).VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi is also currently third in the world championship on a year-old Ducati, proving the older machinery is capable of a title challenge.”4Marquez is the second rider to announce a departure from Honda at the end of this year, with COTA winner Alex Rins jumping ship from LCR to Monster Yamaha.HRC is now expected to shift new signing Johann Zarco from LCR (where he had been planned to ride alongside Takaaki Nakagami) to Repsol, where he would partner Joan Mir.Iker Lecuona likewise moves into the frame to fill the fourth Honda seat, with Fabio di Giannantonio – whose place Marquez has taken – also expressing an interest in joining Honda.No rider has ever won the premier-class title again after losing for more than three years in a row, with Casey Stoner holding the record for the longest title gap, from 2007 (Ducati) until 2011 (Honda).Likewise, a rider from a satellite team has never won the ‘MotoGP’ (since 2002) crown, although Jorge Martin (riding a factory-spec Ducati at Pramac) is now just three points behind official Ducati rider Bagnaia.”5It is assumed Marquez will agree to an initial one-year deal with Gresini since all the factory MotoGP teams will have at least one seat free for 2025.
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