Announced earlier today, Marc Marquez is leaving Honda after 11 years with that factory to join the Ducati satellite team at Gresini Racing. His teammate will be his younger brother Alex. Marquez is obviously taking a massive pay cut, but has decided he needs a new challenge after struggling, and frequently crashing aboard the current Honda MotoGP bike. Here is the Gresini Racing press release:
The Gresini Family is pleased to announce the arrival of Marc Marquez for the 2024 season. The Spanish rider, a multi-time World Champion, recently announced his separation with Honda and starting from next season, he will be the new standard bearer of Team Gresini MotoGP alongside his brother Alex.
This is a dream pair the one made by the Marquez brothers, with Marc that will get back into play with a satellite team that has already shown it belongs with the best since the squad’s return to the status of independent team in the premier class.
#93 – MARC MARQUEZ
“I’m excited with this new challenge. It wasn’t an easy decision because it’s a big change in every way. But sometimes in life it’s important to get out of the comfort zone and put yourself through the paces in order to keep growing. Bike-chance wise, I know I will have to adapt my riding style to a few things, and it won’t be easy. But I’m also sure that the whole Team Gresini will help me a lot. I can’t wait to get to know the team and start working with them. I’d like to thank Nadia, Carlo and Michele for the trust and respect they showed me.
NADIA PADOVANI GRESINI
“This is a historical moment for the Gresini Family. The fact that Marc Marquez chose to race with us in the upcoming season is absolutely fantastic and I’m extremely happy to be able to make it official. In less than a season we got really close to his brother, and we’ll welcome Marc the same way, as we’re sure he has all the potential to be competitive on the GP23 from the get-go. Last but not least, I would like to thank Fabio Di Giannantonio for his professionalism, and we wish him all the best for the continuation of his career.”
At least MotoGP is more competitive then F1
I was never a Marquez fan while he was stacking #1 plates, but now he’s a underdog of sorts. Highly talented and the ability to pull off remarkable saves mid corner. Ducati has worked extremely hard to develop a superior platform, this is evident in the fact Honda and Yamaha who have great racing heritage are nowhere. I’m still of the opinion that he should retire, but I think he is on a mission to regain one more title.
He makes the sport more interesting. Shame that Dorna did not allow KTM to add a team.
–exactly…love him, hate him, or, don’t really care about him any more/less than anyone else…his recent development for 2024 (and not him…specifically) is what will make me watch MotoGp in 2024 for the first time in 3 years.
–I will definitely prefer MM to win, and win spectacularly, including taking the 2024 Championship, simply because I prefer watching his style of racing and I would like to see the others “have to go back to that style” of racing as well (or quit and make room for others who want to race proper…whatever)…which will make MotoGp interesting again.
–on that note…if MM simply manages to pull the lead in the first corner and cruise to a un-exciting, not hard fought (but clean) victory…time and time again…i’ll not be watching that boring MotoGp show.
I wonder what the issue is at Honda. There is clearly someone in their pit that has some kind of magic touch that can make a bike randomly shrug its rider off. They even bought a Kalex chassis. Marquez had a decent result on it and then the bike became a Honda again. There is clearly some really hard headed individual who has some crazy idea that they just can’t let go of.
This is obviously a one year deal stepping stone to get on one of those Pramac Ducatis or even one of those red machines. OR, maybe a factory KTM after MIller is shown the door. Interesting times.
my thoughts as well.
i’m interested in knowing what bike MM gets in 2024.
will it be a typical satellite team year old or will something odd and magical happen (the rumor is Martin gets a new bike full factory support in 2024) in that a top level/current bike is found on Gresinis’ doorstep as well for someone to ride in 2024.
The Pramac team is team #2 and get the same generation bikes as the factory though I do believe support/testing is different. I think Pramac sometimes tests things ahead of the factory team adopting them, though I also recall Bagnaia complaining that sometimes he feels like even he is testing too much instead of honing in on the best setup.
For the past few seasons a 1-year old Ducati has been no hardship. Bastaini and now Bezzechi have been deadly with them, presumably since they’re a well developed platform. I’ve said before, I will be very surprised if Marc isn’t up front almost immediately after the switch.
yes…i doubt any current top tier 8 time World Champion pilot will be hard-pressed to deliver results on a 1 year Ducati, especially coming off a bike that may not be quite as competitive as a 1 year Ducati.
He’ll have to prove himself first. As a rule, crashers don’t win championships, and they don’t get factory bikes. Hopefully he’ll keep the Duc upright.
uhhhhhmmm?
the majority of experts here have long been very faithfully and uncannily espousing the opinion that MM is nothing but a ‘crasher’.
to me…that expert opinion doesn’t quite jive with how a crasher wins 8 World Championships…but again, that’s just me.
Not just you, Gary is talking rubbish
” Marquez is obviously taking a massive pay cut”
Why is that assumption being made? When a talent like Marquez comes into play, money becomes more available. It is very possible that the parties bringing him into Gresini Ducati have raised the money to pay him what he’s worth. Not that he needs more money…
Marquez said as much … walking away from a huge salary.
and like i said before he announced his departure from Honda….he wasn’t interested in taking (more) Honda money in lieu of a bike he can’t win with.
Because gresini can’t pay 12 million euros per year. Only factories can. And even if they could, they would not.
its always the sponsors who have the big money, Red Bull, Repsol, etc.
Yes. Mick Doohan 5 times on Respol two strockes.
“even if they could, they would not”
No, huh? Please explain why not.
–if Gresini couldn’t…i’d wager that a strong possibility exists that Ducati (strictly off the record of course…or not…depending on legalities?) would be more than happy to ‘kick in’ a couple bucks to have a current top tier rider and 8 time world champion, PROMOTE their brand?
“even if they could, they would not”
No, huh? Please explain why not.
–still waiting–
Can’t you see ? Ok: Because everybody is already signed, and marc is crazy to go there.. to the only seat that is still open to him where he can be competitive. Ducati does not need him, they have the top 3 this year. Now, if there was vacancy at KTM or Aprilia it would be different.
OK then. No I can’t. but who cares about what we think…
“MotoGP™ Guru: Marquez move sparks Gresini’s 2024 Championship dream”
it seems the folks actually putting their money where their mouth is seem to also believe MM taking the 2024 Championshipt is a completely reasonable expectation.
–in a future ‘couple/few years past MM’s retirement’ interview, i’d not be the least bit surprised to learn that MM humbly passed on taking any Ducati seat he wanted for 2024. I still think MM knows well that he can win 2024 on a year old satellite Ducati and that that will make it all the sweeter and is why he chose Gresini and not Pramac or the factory. What are Martin’s and Pecco’s teammates names again?
“Ducati does not need him”
well OK then, why did they sign him? is Ducati just throwing the old fella a bone I wonder?
i’ll also add…
i’d guess Rossi is, still, THE most popular and beloved 2 wheeled racer (maybe more popular than 4 wheeled racers) accross the globe. I’d guess that Rossi’s fanbase includes the most fans whom don’t even give a hoot about motorcyles and racing and never did. They just love Rossi.
Did Rossi gain his popularity simply beacause he is Rossi or was it due to his success as a pilot first and the subsequent media attention that he received? would Rossi (still) be selling Rossi paraphernalia had he been a Disney animator and not a successful race pilot.
Media attention.
now…who might be in second, behind Rossi, in popularity that ‘they’ can apply the media attention tool to and therefor profit from?
Mir, Fab, Pecco, Martin, MM…OK, i’ll stop at MM.
why wouldn’t Ducati want, and pay handsomely for, an 8 time World Champ to promote their
brand. We, standing on the bottom rung, can all guess what might and might not happen in 2024(MM) but the MM 2024 hype train has already left the station…who’s benefiting from that hype train?
folks with a lot of skin in the game are banking on MM’s success in 2024.
And the promotion of brand you ve said is relative, i personally don t like him and never would hire him. To me he is a bad marketing. And i know many who agree with me.
i am often dumbfounded by some of the ‘choices’ companies make with regards to whose face is representing their brand.
love MM or hate him….i see a lot of MM93 flags in the stands at the races (not as much as Rossi but a lot nonetheless). 8 time World Champ is, obviously, still a marketable commodity.