The Honda rider was among the last to arrive at the circuit due to visa problems: “I’m a bit tired, but I won’t have any problems driving.” Naturally we are talking about 2024: “I have no news”. But, unlike in the past, he no longer says he has a contract for next year…
September 21, 2023
Was among the last to arrive in Indiacauses problems with the view (obviously Honda is struggling in everything in this period, even in logistics…), but Marc Marquez assures that It will not be a problem.
“Now I’m just a little tired, but my preparation hasn’t changed: there won’t be any problems, also because the time difference with Europe is limited (3.30H, NDA)”
Inevitably, we continue to talk to Marquez of the future: Marc doesn’t say anything new, but as was already noticed in Misano, the change in strategy is evident. Until two weeks ago, Marquez was repeating. “I have a contract with Honda for 2024”; Today he doesn’t say it anymore.
“I think so like a month ago, at this moment I have no news. I don’t know if others have plans for the future, I don’t have them”. Then, when it is pointed out to him that with the (obvious) announcement of Franco Morbidelli in Pramac one option is missing, he replies decisively: “My options remain three”
So: Honda, Gresini e? The third remains an unknown (Marc has rejected the possibility of a sabbatical several times), Marquez seems to be playing on this. We can’t take it anymorelet’s hope the announcement comes soon.
In the press conference, Dorna’s interviewer starts by asking him about the tests at Misano.
“I will use the same bike I raced with in the last GP, the prototype tested in the tests is the same or a little worse… So I prefer to continue with the RC213V that I know: then, if there is something new to test, I will do it”
Mattew Bird, the Dorna interviewer, continues with what happened at Misano, first in the race and then in the tests.
“I had a good performance, I kept a good pace, but it made me spend too much energy: in order not to repeat the mistake of Le Mans, when I crashed, I preferred to slow down at the end. But the speed was there. As for the tests, Nakagami and I preferred the old RCV, Mir and Bradl the new one: from what we saw, we made a small step forward, but to be competitive in 2024 we need more. Let’s say we improved a tenth, to be fast we would need 0″6-0″7… There are some differences, such as, for example, the driving position, but the lap time doesn’t change. We need to improve when exiting corners, but when entering corners we’re not in such a bad situation.”
The last consideration is on the special graphics of the helmet.
“It’s a tribute to India”
