With the return this winter of Marc Marquez to his Repsol box, we initially thought at Honda that we could slow down the pace of the transfer market by giving Pol Espargaró time to assert himself, and possibly confirm. But since then, there has been Indonesia, and at the end of the second Grand Prix, the HRC troops found themselves again without their leader. He once again sank into the throes of unfitness for service due to diplopia, triggered after a concussion following his terrible fall in Mandalika. We hope that the eight-time World Champion will quickly regain his vision, but the fact is that this is a new alert for Honda on the need to strengthen its workforce with another champion recognized on the market. Four names are put forward by rumor to fill the void.
Several scenarios are currently being developed regarding the situation of Marc Marquez. Either the diplopia is only temporary and it will return to service from the first weekend in April in Argentina. Either he will have to be patient once again, leaving Honda alone to face its responsibilities and Pol Espargaro his destiny. And then there is the worst: Marc Marquez, exhausted, ends MotoGP. But in all cases, the imperative imposed on HRC is to find the equivalent, at least, of its eight-time world champion so as to no longer be at the mercy of his injuries and other repeated convalescences.
We are talking to a pilot who, in 142 starts in MotoGP since 2013, has achieved 59 victories, 99 podiums, 62 pole positions, 59 fastest laps and six world titles. Which are to be added to the two others taken in Moto3 and Moto2. A track record that hypnotized the leaders Honda who will now have to come down from their ivory tower and organize job interviews. A hunt that they will have to do on enemy territory. Because Honda does not have a talent incubator worthy of the name.
Honda looks into the cases of Quartararo, Mir, Jorge Martin and Enea Bastianini
The first option would be to go and get a Raul fernandez or a Pedro Acosta. But time is now running out with a Marc Marquez approaching thirty and more and more often in the infirmary. So there is this approach that the rumor favors: making a big move on an established driver.
Four names are put forward, and we will remember that there were only two during the offseason... These two, we inevitably find them with fabio quartararo et Joan mir. The first city further improved its rating by showing in Indonesia that the wet track no longer frightens it. The other two potential candidates who have been added to the list since the start of the season are George Martin et Enea Bastianini. Knowing that the recruitment of one would be one less obstacle for the other to settle in place of Jack Miller next to Pecco Bagnaia. Honda is getting ready to make a move. It remains to be seen in which direction.
