Doohan: “Would be interesting to see Marc on a KTM, Honda is not it right now”

A five-time champion with Honda, Doohan enjoyed all of his premier class success with the Japanese manufacturer, as has Marquez, who will tie former rival Valentino Rossi on seven MotoGP titles if he wins another championship.

But Marquez has not won a title since 2019, nor has he been in contention as injuries have been the main reason why, although Honda failing to give him a bike capable of doing so has also played a role as they now have one of the worst bikes on the grid.

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Doohan, who remained with Honda throughout his 500cc career, did so because Honda’s passion to go racing trumped that of its competitors in his eyes.

And while that same passion might still exist, Marquez won’t want to wait long as he is ready to win now, something Honda doesn’t seem ready to do.

"Honda have seemed to drop a couple of steps behind and trying to catch up is now [proving] difficult," Doohan told MotoGP.com.

"Whether that was part of the Marc Marquez crash [in 2020 at Jerez] and then being delayed to come back, they have lost their way a little bit. Who knows. Or that was the start of why Marc started to crash. 

"Equally, Honda knows how to get themselves back. I think they just need to focus on it. 

"Technically speaking they’ve always been strong but you need to get the passion to go racing. 

"Racing isn’t just about numbers, it’s about passion. In the years gone by that’s why I stayed with Honda for as long as I did."

Doohan also sees Marquez as being ready to win but that joining the likes of KTM would give him a better chance to do so. 

"He’s had a great relationship with Honda but it’s a working relationship and it’s business," added the Australian. "His business is motorcycle racing and he needs the right office to go into work. 

"Right now Honda is not it. For instance, if he was on a KTM it would be interesting to see what he could do. 

"I wouldn’t say a Ducati because they have so many riders. I think he’s got the potential to win another championship but the years are passing him by pretty quickly now. 

"He needs to focus on what Marc wants to do and if that's to stay with Honda and develop them out of this position then that’s good as well, as long as Honda are going to commit to go racing. 

"But to just make up the numbers - I don’t think he wants to be there [for that]."