Final Wednesday Honda announced that it had reached a mutual agreement with Marquez to half method on the finish of the 2023 season, one yr sooner than the eight-time world champion’s contract stipulated.
Marquez has spent 11 years of his life with Honda, successful all six of his MotoGP world titles, 59 grands prix victories and 101 podiums.
Although but to be confirmed, Marquez will transfer to Gresini to race a year-old Ducati subsequent season.
As Autosport has discovered, present RNF Aprilia and former KTM rider Oliveira has emerged because the favorite to exchange him.
First Oliveira must negotiate an exit settlement with Aprilia for 2024, having signed a two-year deal to hitch RNF from this season.
Although Aprilia pays his wage, there may be an escape clause in Oliveira’s contract that stipulates that he can go away ought to a manufacturing unit workforce provide him a seat.
This precedent has already been seen in 2023, after Alex Rins – who was signed to Honda to race for LCR for 2 years – elected halfway by way of this yr to hitch Yamaha for 2024.
Miguel Oliveira, RNF MotoGP Racing
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Oliveira, 28, is seen as probably the most enticing possibility by HRC on account of his expertise in MotoGP, and significantly on two of the main European bikes within the KTM and Aprilia.
From the business aspect, Honda’s backing from Repsol makes Oliveira enticing, because it has business pursuits in his native Portugal.
Naturally, whereas Oliveira will doubtless be compensated a lot larger than at Aprilia, he could also be reluctant to surrender a successful package deal within the RS-GP for one which has pressured the very best rider on the grid to depart Honda.
Oliveira would companion Joan Mir on the manufacturing unit Honda squad if his transfer have been to come back off, whereas LCR already has Takaaki Nakagami and Johann Zarco signed up for 2024.
It’s unclear at this stage who Aprilia and RNF have lined as much as exchange Oliveira ought to he in the end elect to take Marquez’s seat at Honda subsequent yr.