Marc Marquez, before his significant departure from Honda, has expressed a strong desire to support Alberto Puig, who appears to be in a precarious position within the Repsol Honda team. Marquez’s advocacy for Puig suggests that Puig’s role in the team might be under scrutiny.

The relationship between Marquez and Puig has been a mutually beneficial one, with each playing a significant role in the other’s career. This close bond has even extended to Marquez’s recent change in direction, as he prepares to start working with his future Ducati Gresini team from the first test of the 2024 off-season, scheduled for November 28.

However, Puig’s future with Honda remains uncertain, especially with Marquez’s impending departure and the fact that Puig has yet to propose names for the second RC213V rider, with the first MotoGP test for the upcoming season looming.

Marquez has spoken out in defense of Puig, describing him as an honest person who sometimes may have few friends due to his straightforward nature. Marquez views Puig as a fundamental figure at Honda, open to discussion and essential to the team’s project. He emphasized that Puig has excellent ideas for Honda’s future and insisted that making Puig a scapegoat would be a mistake. According to Marquez, Puig has always been clear and had a project in mind, some aspects of which have been implemented, while others have not. Marquez appreciates Puig’s ideas and believes that dismissing him would be an error.

This situation highlights the intricate dynamics within MotoGP teams and the importance of strong leadership and vision for the future, especially in a high-stakes, competitive environment like MotoGP.

O conteúdo Marc Marquez tries to save Alberto Puig: “he has good ideas, and if they fired him, I think it would be a mistake” aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

With just over two weeks left until the MotoGP preseason test in Valencia, Repsol Honda still has no replacement for Marc Márquez in 2024. The decision is urgent, with few riders available. Fabio Di Giannantonio, who will leave Gresini, could be one of them and he is speculated as a strong candidate.

In an interview with DAZN, team manager Alberto Puig clarified from the start that the rider replacing the Spaniard will not come from another class: ‘There are not many candidates, everyone knows. We are not looking at other categories – that is not contemplated in principle’.

However, within the current MotoGP grid, Puig admitted there is little room to maneuver: ‘It is evident that we tried to investigate the field a bit. There aren’t many options, but there are some – not just one, but a few. And most riders have another year on their contract, so for a rider to come, they have to break the contract. It’s complicated; let’s not get confused’.

Faced with the urgent need to make a decision, Puig acknowledged that it is a complicated scenario: ‘The situation is very serious and has seriousness, but I say this because we really haven’t decided and haven’t reached a conclusion. But it is the limit, and logically, we have to have a rider for the test in Valencia’.

O conteúdo Honda admits a ‘very serious situation’ in choosing Marc Márquez’s successor aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Fermín Aldeguer was speculated last week as a strong candidate for the seat left by Marc Márquez at Repsol Honda in MotoGP in 2024. However, the current Moto2 rider is not among the options.

This is the guarantee from the team manager, Alberto Puig, who on Friday denied to DAZN that the young Spaniard is being considered, stating that he has already asked the rider’s manager for an explanation:

– No, I don’t know where that came from. It is 100 percent false. Yesterday I spoke to Aldeguer’s manager and asked him where this came from, and he didn’t know what to say.

O conteúdo Alberto Puig categorically denies Fermín Aldeguer as an option for Honda aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

After three very challenging seasons with results falling short of expectations, Marc Márquez made the decision to part ways with Repsol Honda one year before the end of his contract to join Gresini in MotoGP in 2024.

In recent months, there has been speculation that his relationship with the team manager, Alberto Puig, might have deteriorated. However, Efrén Vázquez believes that there are no signs of such a situation: ‘Many people thought that Puig was having issues with Marc, but the messages that Marc posted about Alberto don’t convey that at all; quite the opposite’.

Quoted by Motosan.es, the former rider also mentioned a particular aspect of Puig’s character: ‘If you’re with Alberto, he’ll stand by you to the death, but if you’re outside his team or circle, you have the same importance as a stone on the side of the road’.

O conteúdo ‘People thought that Alberto Puig was having issues with Marc Márquez, but…’ – Efrén Vázquez aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Since Alberto Puig took on the role of team director at Honda in MotoGP, many changes have occurred. Dani Pedrosa left at the end of 2018 after 12 years, and now it’s Marc Márquez who is leaving at the end of the year – following three very challenging seasons without the expected results from the Japanese team.

Criticism of Puig on social media has been plentiful, and Efrén Vázquez came in his defense. Quoted by Motosan.es, the former rider mentioned Pedrosa’s departure:

– Puig has been with Honda for a long time, many years before. They have a lot to thank him for. Puig took Dani to the CEV and the World Championship without winning, and Dani more than repaid that. I heard that Puig’s decision to part with Pedrosa was a pity; they say it was an HRC decision, and no one had the courage to do it. Alberto is a very peculiar person, but he’s not bad, and I’m sure he would have been hurt by Dani, and perhaps Dani was hurt by him too, that’s how long-term relationships are.

On the other hand, Vázquez believes that even Jorge Lorenzo did not lack support from Puig, despite the challenging season he had with Honda: ‘If Puig hadn’t supported him, Jorge would quickly have said it openly. The issue with Puig is more of the press than the riders, and this is a fact’.

O conteúdo Efrén Vázquez Defends Alberto Puig: ‘The problem is more of the press than the riders’ aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Marc Márquez’s debut on a Ducati Desmosedici GP will indeed take place during the November test at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia. The rider is moving from Repsol Honda to Gresini next year and will need to get to know a new bike.

While it is generally common for teams to allow their riders to test with their future teams, this isn’t always the case. Contracts typically remain in effect until the end of the calendar year.

In the case of Márquez with Gresini, during the official broadcast of the second free practice session at Buriram, Honda’s team manager, Alberto Puig, confirmed that the Spanish rider would not be prevented from riding a Ducati in Valencia.

– Yes, normally yes. This is very important for all riders when they’re changing teams so we understand. This is something that happens and the process must keep going the way it normally goes, so there will be no objection from Honda’s side.

O conteúdo Honda confirms authorization for Marc Márquez to test Ducati in Valencia aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Marc Márquez leaving Honda is seem by many as a big blow for HRC given the time the manufacturer had to show signs of building a stronger bike for the next season, ending up with the rider coming to end the contract he had with the giant japanese while there was still one more season to fulfil. Alberto Puig says he felt ‘very disappointed’ with the rider leaving.

The Team Manager was asked by AS if he saw Márquez leaving as ‘a failure’, the spaniard commented: ‘Well, on a personal level I’m very disappointed, because the relationship I have with Marc is very good. On a company level, it’s obvious that we haven’t been able to make the bike he needed. It is also true that they have been very bad years. We have taken his worst years, because everything with the shoulder has been very complicated for him and for us’.

Puig them said that there was a lot of things happening that added up until the rider decided to leave: ‘In the end, there has been an accumulation of circumstances, almost all of them negative, which have not helped at all. I think that if Marc hadn’t had that accident in Jerez, things would have been different. He wouldn’t have stopped, he would have been on the bike and, surely, the bike would have evolved in a different way. Although talking about everything in the past is no good, of course’.

With Márquez already confirmed at Gresini, Puig says he hopes to see #93 perform well, and even taking wins, but assures he wants to beat him:

– When I have been with a rider who has left I have always been happy with his results. And in Marc’s case, probably even more so, because of the way he has treated me on a personal level. Obviously, he is a champion and all the fans of the motorbike world and all of us who feel involved in this, in my case having also been a rider, know that if he did well and won again it would be a milestone and, of course, I would be happy. I will be happy if Marquez wins again, but I want to beat him. That doesn’t take away from the fact that I work at Honda, that we have to develop a bike, that we are going to have riders and that our objective is to win, whoever it is.

O conteúdo Márquez leaving Honda left Alberto Puig ‘very disappointed’ but he still will be happy to see him win aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Alberto Puig, the team manager of Repsol Honda, has recently clarified some circulating rumors in the MotoGP paddock. Amidst the whirlwind of speculations regarding potential replacements for Marc Márquez, one name that frequently surfaced was Johann Zarco. However, Puig has firmly stated that Repsol Honda never made any contact with the French rider.

The departure of Marc Márquez from Honda has undoubtedly created a significant void in the team, leading to widespread speculation about his potential successor. Zarco, with his impressive track record and recent performances, seemed like a plausible candidate to many. Yet, Puig’s recent statements have put a halt to these rumors.

Speaking to Paddock-GP, Puig mentioned, “I don’t know where these stories come from. We have not approached Johann Zarco, nor have we had any discussions with him about a potential seat in our team.” He emphasized that while Zarco is undoubtedly a talented rider, the team has its strategies and plans for the future.

Puig also touched upon the broader topic of rider transfers and the challenges they pose. “In this sport, rumors spread quickly. It’s essential to focus on facts and not get swayed by speculations,” he added.

The Repsol Honda team is currently evaluating various options for the upcoming season. While the final decision remains under wraps, fans and experts alike are eagerly waiting to see who will take up the mantle after Márquez.

O conteúdo Alberto Puig contradicts Johann Zarco: “We never approached Johann Zarco” aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Marc Márquez was the face of Repsol Honda Team for several yesterday in MotoGP, giving the japanese manufacturer many world titles and being the one to lead the development of the RC213V. Alberto Puig assured that HRC policy was never to hold someone in against their will, at the same time he granted that there are ‘a lot of riders’ that want to ride with the team.

Honda’s Team Manager spoke to AS about the future ex-rider and said that there was never a wish to force the rider to stay, saying right away that the vacancy left open is something that many riders are interested in: ‘If a rider doesn’t want to race with our bikes or may be happier somewhere else, our philosophy is never to forcefully retain a rider just for the sake of it. We have a lot of riders who want to ride with us if they are happy and if everything is ok’.

Puig then said that the future of the development will continue and that Honda has big plans for the future, that now however won’t come in time to have the #93 as part of it: ‘We have some very interesting plans for the future. They are not in time in the case of Márquez’.

Honda is still looking for the future rider to take Márquez’s place and many names have been pointed, with Miguel Oliveira apparently as top contender, but with Maverick Viñales, Aleix Espargaró also on the table or even rider’s like Fabio Di Giannantonio or Jake Dixon, who were also said to be the a very specific shortlist.

Johann Zarco, who signed with LCR Honda is also said to be a possibility to move instead to the factory team, something Lucio Cecchinello certainly and publicly said he didn’t want.

O conteúdo Alberto Puig assures Honda doesn’t lack candidates for Márquez seat: ‘We have a lot of riders who want to ride with us’ aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Marc Márquez has officially parted ways with the Repsol Honda team. This Thursday, Gresini themselves confirmed that the Cervera rider would be joining their ranks, where he will race alongside his brother Álex in 2024. He leaves a mark on the history of the golden wing brand, which has only positive words to say goodbye to its iconic rider.

It was Alberto Puig who, in a statement to Motogp.com, expressed his gratitude to the rider until the end of the season. The team boss said that ‘it was something that could happen’, despite the fact that, according to him, ‘Marc has been trying to get a bike that suits his style and Honda has been trying to do it’.

However, Puig reveals that ‘unfortunately it wasn’t possible, so the situation was clear: he needed another type of bike for next year and we, Honda, understood that. We thought the best thing to do was to let him go,’ he said.

Puig describes the situation as “sad” due to the departure of his main rider, but he treasures the good things: “We’ve done great things together. We’ve had some incredible moments together. The Repsol Honda team with Marc has achieved many things and Honda is very, very grateful for his contribution. And I’m sure Marc is also very grateful for what we did for him in the other years and for the way we treated him with his injury, as well as for the effort we made to prepare everything he needed in the past to achieve these titles.

The Spanish team manager is aware that “93” “has been trying to work and improve the bike for a long time, it’s true. He made the decision last week, contacted us, explained it to us and we said ‘OK’. The team boss reflects that “we knew it was possible” and that Honda “won’t try to convince a rider who doesn’t want to stay. Honda has a lot of respect for Marc and if his mind is not here and he wants to leave, Honda will never stop someone who wants to leave. We didn’t try to force him to stay if he wasn’t happy.

Therefore, Puig stresses that ‘Honda’s philosophy is Honda’s philosophy: we’re going to keep looking and working to have a competitive bike and that’s our only mentality. Now we have many options, but the challenge of improving and being at the top has always been there. It’s sad, but it’s the way forward. We want Marc to achieve what he wants and have a good career as a rider, but we’re going to try to make a super-competitive bike to compete with him.

Now the big question is who will replace seat 93 on board the RC213V. Something Alberto Puig says he hasn’t seriously considered yet: ‘They think we’re contacting riders. No. Until the day I got the call from Marc and we spoke, we didn’t move, we didn’t contact anyone. The moment he announced he was leaving, we started thinking, but until today, when we’re here, we haven’t sat down to decide. Let’s see how we can sort it out.

O conteúdo Alberto Puig – ‘We’re going to try to make a super-competitive bike to compete against Márquez’ aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.