Marc Marquez had a decent performance aboard the Honda last weekend in Thailand, finishing fourth in the Sprint and seventh in the long race, which later became a sixth-place finish after a penalty for Aleix Espargaró.
The eight-time world champion has only three grands prix left with Honda before moving to the Gresini team for 2024. HRC confirmed in Thailand that he will be able to test the bike in Valencia on November 28, as anticipated by Motorsport.com.
But before leaving his current team, the Cervera rider said he wants to continue pushing as he did in Thailand, regardless of the results he achieves, to ensure he “has the pace” to start his journey with Gresini.
“The decision has been made, so I won’t talk,” he said when asked if Honda’s possible signing of Ducati standout Gigi Dall’Igna would keep him in HRC for 2024. “The decision is already was taken. Now, as you can see, I’m freer. I just ride the motorbike and I don’t worry about anything.”
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team
“I just try to maintain the intensity in these last races. Ok, the results will be better or worse. But trying to maintain this intensity in riding is what I want because then, when I move on to a new project, I will have the pace. Enough, I don’t know. But at least I’ll be ready.”
Márquez said he was on the verge of making the same choice as his brother Alex in fitting the medium rear tire for the long race in Buriram, but ultimately opted for the hard option. Although this tire means “struggling a lot with the performance” of the Honda, Márquez added that all he was looking for was “a stable weekend, and we got it”.
The Spanish driver was the protagonist of numerous battles, including with Pecco Bagnaia and Aleix Espargaró. The #93 said attacking was the only way to defend his position, as poor rear grip penalized him on the exit of Turn 1 into Turn 3. “I went out and it was hot,” he added .
“I went outside and it was hot,” he added. “I tried to attack at the beginning because I immediately understood that if I didn’t attack, every time I went from turn 1 to turn 3, a motorbike would overtake me.”
“So I said to myself: ‘Ok, the best way to defend yourself is to attack’. And the way to attack with our bike are the braking points. At Turn 5 and Turn 12 I braked late. But not enough. Sometimes we lost, like with Aleix, it was a close fight,” he concluded.
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