In one of the biggest rider market shocks in years, eight-time world champion Marquez elected to quit Honda after 11 seasons and six MotoGP world titles to join the satellite Gresini Ducati squad for 2024.
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Marquez broke his contract with Honda to do so, which is reportedly costing him around €15 million, but said at the time of the announcement of his Gresini move that he needed to do it to understand whether or not he can still be competitive.
He made his Ducati debut on 28 November at the post-season Valencia test and was immediately quick, ending the day fourth fastest and just 0.171s off the pace.
Marquez is forbidden from speaking about Ducati until 1 January when his contract with Honda has officially expired, though in a leaked Sky Sports Italy video he was caught on camera noting that the GP23 is much less physical than the RC213V.
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In an exclusive interview with Autosport during the Qatar GP weekend, Marquez admits “it’s a possibility” that his Ducati move won’t work and he will accept criticism if it doesn’t.
“Yeah, of course it’s a possibility and of course I have some doubts,” he told Autosport in early November, when asked if he was scared his move could go wrong.
“Even now that I’ve taken the decision, I have doubts. And it’s a possibility that it doesn’t work.
“But in the end, when I retire someday, I will retire quiet because I tried everything in my career. And I did what I feel [was right].
Source: Autosport