One of the main topics of conversation in the first half of MotoGP 2023 is undoubtedly the situation experienced by Marquez with Repsol Honda. It seemed as if the ordeal would not stop hitting the six-time MotoGP world champion after he injured his right arm following the crash at Jerez 2020.
He claims now is his worst moment in the premier class with the Japanese manufacturer, which he has defended since 2013.
The numbers don’t lie: after eight rounds, the Spaniard is 18th in the standings having picked up just 15 points. He was pointless in Sunday’s long race even having 14 crashes.
As a result, Marquez went on vacation injured after crashing up to 5 times during the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring, one of his domains. Rider #93 was unable to start due to a fractured rib, which also forced him to withdraw from the long test at Assen.
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All of these issues have led to rumors growing about what the future holds for Marquez and Honda in MotoGP. On the one hand, since the championship they have confirmed that they will work to get HRC and Yamaha to get concessions in the future so they can recover their level, although some are skeptical, like Stefan Pierer, from KTM.
If it fails, then it is possible for Honda to leave MotoGP, following in Suzuki’s footsteps at the end of 2022.
Between the two, there is Marquez who has always emphasized that plan A is to continue his lifelong cooperation with the factory in MotoGP, although he has not ruled out finding a motorbike in good condition.
Several people speculated about what the situation would be like, including Stefan Bradl, Honda test rider.
For the German racer, Marc’s union with Ducati will be very interesting. It will be a big reference for the championship. This is how he explained it in an interview with ‘Speedweek’.
“I don’t want to say that Marc will be unbeaten on the Ducati, but I think that will be the benchmark,” said Bradl. “He knows that the potential of his brother (Alex Marquez), Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi is not up to his level, Marc’s riding ability is on a higher level. He will continue to be a tough racer to beat with the right material.”
“When you say anyone can go fast on a Ducati, that is a fact. There are (races with) two or three Ducati riders who are on the podium. The age of the riders doesn’t matter, you can see that with Zarco. Different riding styles lead (bikes) to success, even with the 2022 bike and in the satellite teams.”
Finally, Bradl wants to deepen his idea by making an analogy with Formula 1. “There, you know that you can’t win races with Haas, you have to use Red Bull, which is the best car. Even with Mercedes or Ferrari, nobody is winning at the moment,” he added.
“In MotoGP, even if the difference is not that big, with Honda these days you don’t have a chance to win.”