Marc Márquez has officially broken up with Sling. As has been explained in recent days, the relationship between the Cervera driver and the Japanese brand was approaching a divorce, confirmed this Wednesday with an official statement from the team. Márquez will complete the current season and starting next season, he will race with another bike, probably the ‘satellite’ team of Ducati.
Márquez and Honda had been together for 11 years and there was one more left on their contract, which will not be fulfilled. This was announced today by the Japanese brand after agreeing to terminate the eight-time world champion’s contract “by mutual agreement.” Together they have won six world titles in the premier category. “The best thing for each of the two parties is to look for other avenues in the future to better achieve their respective objectives and goals,” the note says.
“Thank you for this great trip,” Márquez himself tweeted shortly after. “Eleven years together. We have shared unforgettable moments: 6 World Championships, 5 Triple Crowns, 59 victories, 101 podiums and 64 pole positions. Laughter, tears, joy, hard moments but most importantly: a unique and unrepeatable relationship.”
THANK YOU for this great trip @hrc_motogp. ❤️ 11 years together.
🙏 いつもありがとう
We have shared unforgettable moments: 6 World Championships, 5 Triple Crowns, 59 victories, 101 podiums and 64 pole positions. Laughter, tears, joy, hard moments but most importantly: a relationship… pic.twitter.com/6rYLNfQrC2
— Marc Márquez (@marcmarquez93) October 4, 2023
The pairing is broken after a soap opera in which Márquez showed signs every day of wanting to open a new era in his career. Honda has not managed to convince the Catalan driver with its future project and now has a free way to join the deceased’s team. Fausto Gresini and riding a Ducati ‘Desmosedici’ that allows him to enjoy the court again, his main obsession.
Brother’s team
He Team Gresini, a private Ducati customer team, has been reserving a seat for Marc Márquez all year. In his ranks runs Álex, his little brother, who this year has rediscovered his best level after traveling the same path, from Honda to Ducati, a transfer that turns the World Championship upside down. Between the ordeal of injuries – four times he underwent surgery to repair the damaged right humerus – and the loss of direction in Honda’s technical direction, Márquez has not been able to fight for top positions for four seasons.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL
MARC MARQUEZ AND HONDA ARE PARTING WAYS pic.twitter.com/944MfkUcdb
— Simon Patterson (@denkmit) October 4, 2023
The mystery with which both Márquez and Honda have surrounded their decision has been clearing up from the moment that even the guru of Ducati, the world champion firm, the engineer Gigi Dall’Igna, has entered into the controversy and, with his words in Motegi (Japan) before the microphones of Sky TV Italia, he confirmed, although he later tried to deny his statement, that “Marc has decided to change his Honda for one of our Ducati “, which makes us happy.” The entire paddock knows that there is no greater desire on Dal’Igna’s part than to work with the best driver in the world.
Luxury honors
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The exhaustion between Márquez and Honda was increasingly evident. Between the Catalan’s injuries and, above all, the absence of a motorcycle that would allow him to compete again to be the best, the relationship has been thrown overboard.
However, there are some spectacular figures in his record since he debuted with a Honda RC213V at the Grand Prix of the Americas, in Austin, in 2013. The 6 world championships. The 59 victories. The 101 podiums. The 64 poles… Some scandalous numbers.