The eight-time world champion has scored simply 15 factors within the opening 9 rounds of a torrid 2023 marketing campaign for Honda, with rumours persevering with to swirl a couple of potential early exit from HRC for 2024.
Whereas he said on the British Grand Prix that “my intention” is to honour his present contract with Honda, which expires on the finish of 2024, uncertainty stays as hyperlinks to KTM persist.
KTM, nevertheless, has up to now been unable to increase its presence on the grid for 2024 and is presently facing a logjam to place Pedro Acosta into its stable with 5 riders beneath contract for 4 bikes.
Ought to Marquez finally keep at Honda for 2024, his future with HRC will finally hinge on whether or not it could actually ship him a prototype of subsequent yr’s bike on the post-race Misano check in September that’s genuinely aggressive.
With 2025 manufacturing facility offers prone to be signed very early, as has been the case for various years, Marquez insists there’s “no rush” to make his resolution.
“The rumours of 2024 are nonetheless not completed,” he stated on Thursday on the Austrian GP.
“Each week is a special hearsay, so don’t begin with 2025! Joking apart, in fact, in Misano the brand new bike will arrive and we’ll proceed to work.
“However [there’s] no rush for the long run. It’s vital to know the extent of the bikes, my degree, as a result of all the time I’m pushing myself.
“However nonetheless on this second half of the season in 2023 I must work on myself and enhance my degree, to attempt to keep away from these errors within the first half. Then we’ll discuss concerning the future.”
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Workforce, Brad Binder, Crimson Bull KTM Manufacturing facility Racing
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
In a latest interview with Servus TV, Marquez heaped reward on the job KTM is doing in MotoGP and stated its methodology – in addition to that of rival European producers – is what Honda ought to “copy”.
“I imply, in the long run all producers have the identical ambitions and all producers attempt to discover the very best [solutions],” he stated when requested about his KTM feedback.
“However within the final years it appears to be like just like the European producers have been sooner on the event steps of the bike and that is the primary distinction.
“Why? I’m not an engineer, I’m not contained in the manufacturing facility to know why. Nevertheless it’s true that KTM has an aggressive mode in the way in which to decide on engineers, to search out the very best for the undertaking.
“They’ve the ‘European type’: if the left facet is the very best, they go to the left.
“If the proper facet is the very best, they go to the proper. I’ve good phrases for KTM, however not as a result of I faux.
“If one rider is quick and is doing a superb job, you say. And when one producer is doing a superb job, you could say.
“The evolution of KTM in these final years was good, additionally Ducati prior to now and Aprilia.
“So, we have to give attention to ourselves and in our field to know what they did higher and attempt to copy, and even enhance.”