Marc Marquez: “Easy way was to stay in Honda. Less pressure, more money”

Speaking at Saturday night’s Gresini Ducati team presentation, the eight-time world champion - who negotiated an early exit from the final year of his big money HRC deal after two winless seasons - maintained “I hope our futures will cross again”.

“Of course, it was a super difficult decision, for that reason it took me a long time, until after Motegi,” Marquez said.

“But on the other side my ambition is the same as 2013. If I’m here, it’s because I feel I have the chance or level to fight for the top 5 positions.

“I cannot say fight for championship, because you need extra in many areas, but still I feel I can fight for top 5-6 positions.

“So I chose that [Gresini Ducati] direction to prolong my career. Only this. The easy way was to stay in Honda. Less pressure, more money in my bank. But it’s not the target.

“I’m very thankful to Honda and I said at the Honda Thanks Day and I’ll say again, that I hope our futures will cross again.

“But it’s not only my decision.

“I need to fast on the race track, to open more doors in future. If I am fast on the racetrack then I will be in a better position to choose my future.”

Marquez has signed only a one year deal with Gresini, where he will race alongside younger brother Alex this season.

Meanwhile, after failing to get on top of the RC213V’s deficiencies for several seasons, the 2024 Honda prototype was greeted as a real step forward by Marquez’s former team-mate Joan Mir at the Valencia test.

Marquez, Honda’s most successful grand prix rider in history with 59 wins, insisted he never doubted the factory will return to the top, but the big question mark is how long it will take.

“The biggest doubt if it’s going to happen in a month, two years or one year,” Marquez said. “This was also the risk from the point of view of my career. I thought the best choice was to do this [join Gresini Ducati].

“But Honda is Honda. HRC will definitely deliver and have big results [eventually], but the biggest change they did [so far] is changing project leader.”

Luca Marini will take over Marquez’s seat at Repsol Honda and work with the Spanish star’s former crew headed by Santi Hernandez.