Marc Marquez takes up residence in Portimao, the site which will launch the 2023 MotoGP season as part of a Portuguese Grand Prix which will inaugurate the new format of meetings in the category. An initiative that we no longer hide as that of the last chance to revive interest in this competition which has never been so hotly contested on the track. But that is no longer enough. On this subject, the seriousness of which he does not minimize but also on the recent news concerning Honda which would abandon its chassis department to better put it in the hands of the German Kalex, the eight-time world champion tells us everything...
Marc Marquez spoke on the airwaves of El Partidazo du COPE and his remarks were relayed by Todocircuito. A speech which puts in the spotlight a crisis situation until now debated in the shadows behind the scenes of MotoGP. But the official Honda decided not to hide anything: “ MotoGP is in a difficult moment “, he blurted. “ You can talk about it openly. You have to attract people, because Dani Pedrosa, Jorge Lorenzo, Valentino Rossi withdrew, I was injured for two years… and a bit of interest was lost ».
So he mobilizes at his level and calls for the general mobilization of his colleagues who do not seem as motivated for the common cause: “ we have to work, each team, Dorna, the drivers… not just Dorna. Drivers, together with professional teams, must work to attract people's attention, and to get people to come and have fun... » And he rightly recalls his approach: “ for example, I created a stand in Jerez with a DJ, entertainment… there is also a space in the city, which helped us with the Town Hall, so that the weekend could expand its audience. They will take the six motorcycles out of the Cervera museum, it will be called Garage 93, we can eat, party a little », summarizes Marc.
Marc Marquez: “ MotoGP is in a difficult moment »
A great initiative which is also the sign of a paddock which is searching for itself and which has missed a stage in its evolution that Formula 1 has succeeded in. On the ground, MotoGP will rely heavily on the sprint race of Saturday. An offensive which is thus evaluated by Marc Marquez : “ Fridays are theoretically free, but they are no longer free, they will be used to classify you on Saturday. It is a very demanding format. But Dorna said it was not ruled out limit or modify this new format. Because we are human, and the demand must be measured to avoid dangerous situations on Saturday ».
And then, regarding his own fate at Honda, the teammate of Joan mir did not obscure the sensational subject of a possible future Kalex chassis consecrating the technical capitulation in the open countryside of the HRC in this area. And we will note that Marc Marquez is the first and for the moment the only one to comment on the news: “ I promise you, and on my mother's head that I love her very much, I discovered this news through the press. In the box no one told me that there was a chassis coming ».
He adds : " during the Portimao test two weeks ago, a Honda-made chassis arrived, and it was tested. There were some negative points and some positives, but that a chassis is manufactured with Kalex, I am not aware of this news ". There is no doubt that internally, the thing will be discussed at some point in the Algarve during this first weekend of the 2023 season...
