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.