MOTO GP

Marquez is on the Honda until 2024

Marc Márquez explained the reasons that led him to renew with the Japanese automaker for four more seasons.
On the last Thursday, Honda surprised by announcing the renewal of Marc Márquez for another four seasons. Although it was expected, no one could imagine that the contract would be for such a long time, as never before in the MotoGP era had a pilot and a assembler signed such a long agreement before.
Marquez will continue as Honda's official pilot until the end of 2024, when he will be close to turning 32. At this point, you will have accumulated 12 seasons in the Repsol Honda team and, increasingly, you will show that you must remain your entire MotoGP career in the same team. For the queen category World HEX champion, that doesn't bother you much.
"In the past, many legends remained on the same team and nothing else happened," said Márquez, who with this movement amazed the interest of any rider. "In 2013 they gave me the opportunity to reach MotoGP, already as a pilot at Repsol Honda."
Honda's achievements and the six MotoGP titles won by Márquez in seven years are the main motivators for the pilot's confidence to renew until 2024.
"I didn't expect to sign four years with Honda. I followed my gut. My heart said Honda. What I've been trying to establish for so many years is that there's a good project, a good foundation, and we both believe we have a good basis to focus on winning. Technically, it's the best project. Honda is the best rider. It's the best thing for me to be able to stay focused on improving the bike and keep fighting for the titles," he said.

An idea that came from Honda
Until then, all contracts signed by Marquez were for only two seasons. To put it bluntly, HRC President Yoshishige Nomura highlighted in the announcement of the agreement that the Catalan pilot is "unique" and that he deserved an agreement to his height.
Even though at first Márquez was thinking of renewing for only two seasons, Honda offered him four and he decided to accept it.
"A year ago I thought of two, but it was something that came out of the HRC and I thought,' why not?'. I don't care who or how I want to win. That is the main objective. This is the best project for me to achieve my goals. I will work hard, but having the tranquillity and being more focused on fighting for the world's every year, " he said.
"It was something we had in mind for some time," said Alberto Puig, head of the Honda team. "The concept is to try to find a driver like Marc who offers us the greatest guarantees for the development of our bikes and keep winning, which is why Honda continues in the racing world. Both sides want to come to that. That is why we have made this proposal. We liked the idea and decided to take it forward," said the former pilot.

by Oriol Puigdemont