Marc Márquez decided to leave the comfort of Repsol Honda to join Gresini in MotoGP in 2024, riding a Ducati. After the decline in performance of the Japanese constructor, the rider wants something that is above money or comfort: to check and prove that he is still capable of fighting for top positions.
The Spanish rider said in a Gresini press conference that he maintains the same ambitions, but admitted that fighting for the title is a goal he does not risk setting at this time: ‘Of course it was a super difficult decision and that’s why it took time. I made it after the Motegi GP. But, on the other hand, the ambition is the same as in 2013. I have said it several times and I will repeat it: if I am here, it is because I feel that I have the chance and the level to fight for those top five positions. I cannot say fight for the championship, because for that you need an extra in several aspects. But I still feel that I can fight for those top five/top six positions‘.
About the reason for choosing Gresini – and not ruling out a future return to Honda – Márquez commented: ‘I chose this direction to have a longer career. Just that. The easiest path would have been to stay at Honda: it would be less pressure for me, more money in my bank account, and various different things. But that’s not the goal. I am very grateful to Honda, I said it at the Honda Thanks Day and I say it again here: maybe in the future we can cross paths again. But it’s not just my decision, I also need to be fast on the tracks, to have more options to choose from. If I am fast on the track, then I will be better positioned to choose my future‘.
