02 Oct, 2022

Moto GP

Constructive fifth for Marquez in soaking Buriram

A dramatic day at the Thai GP yielded more points for the Repsol Honda Team as Marc Marquez.

What had looked set to be a straightforward race day in Thailand was interrupted by a torrential downpour during the Moto2 race, leaving the Chang International Circuit soaking wet. Subsequent on and off showers saw the premier class race delayed by almost a full hour as race organizers waited for a clear window of weather.

All eyes were on Marc Marquez when the racing did get underway as he shot off the line, disappearing behind a wall of spray as the field charged into Turn 1. Emerging from the wall of water, Marquez found himself firmly inside the top five and settled in for the long 25-lap race. Steady at the start, the eight-time World Champion picked up the pace as the race went on as he used his incredible riding ability and mixed-weather skills to guide his Honda RC213V around the Thai circuit. In the closing laps, Marquez smelled a potential podium and launched his attack on Francesco Bagnaia but was unable to make a move stick.

Ultimately settling for a fighting fifth place, Marquez moves up two positions in the overall MotoGP World Championship to 13th.

The MotoGP World Championship now enjoy a one-week break before the Australian Grand Prix and the final three races of the year begin.

Marc Márquez, 5º: “I am happy with the race overall; I was again able to do a solid race – avoiding mistakes and staying calm at the start. Wet races are always very long so you need to be careful. Then I was feeling better, and I gained time on the group ahead, but it was impossible to overtake Bagnaia. The acceleration of the Ducati is very strong. We keep on working and trying to improve everything, it has been a good weekend where we were competitive in the wet and the dry. Now we have a week off to recover a bit and keep on training to be strong for the final three races of the year.”

Back to news

02 Oct, 2022

Moto GP

Back to news

25 Sep, 2022

Moto GP

Fighting fourth for fiery Márquez in Motegi

A thrilling return to the points for Marc Marquez as he took an exciting fourth place finish in just his second race back from injury, fourth months after his last complete race.

For the 91st time in his career, Marc Marquez lined up in pole position in what would be his 150th race in the premier class with the Repsol Honda Team. A solid launch saw Marquez defend his place inside the top three in the opening corners as the race erupted behind. Taking a steady approach to conserve his strength until the end of the race, the #93 settled into fifth and his own pace.

His plan played out and as the race entered its closing stages, Marquez reeled in Miguel Oliveira ahead. Biding his time, the eight-time World Champion struck on lap 22 with a strong pass for fourth in the race. The finish marks not only a return to the points for the first time since Mugello for Marquez but also equals his best finish of the year, achieved at the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez. It was an exciting end to a race enjoyed by Honda President and CEO Toshihiro Mibe and the assembled Honda and HRC board members inside the Repsol Honda Team garage.

Now the paddock once again prepare immediately for the next race, a return to the Thai GP and the final race in this triple-header. The MotoGP World Championship’s last visit in 2019 saw Marc Marquez lift his eighth World Championship title with a thrilling last-lap victory.

Marc Márquez, 4^th: “I am very happy with how the whole weekend has gone and we were able to put together an exciting race in the end. Most importantly it was a productive weekend and overall, it was a lot better than we were expecting. It was an important race because it is the first I have finished since my operation so it was a good test of the arm and also in this area we’ve been able to learn. Of course I would have liked to finish higher, but being realistic it was a good result and I was able to maintain my rhythm and then attack in the last laps. I want to say thanks to Honda and the Repsol Honda Team for helping me to put together a good weekend. Also thank you to all the Japanese staff and fans who came this weekend, it was a pleasure to see everyone again. Now we go to Thailand!”

Back to news

25 Sep, 2022

Moto GP

Back to news

19 Sep, 2022

Moto GP

Marc Márquez retires from Aragon GP on opening lap

After making a great start, the Repsol Honda Team rider is involved in two incidents during the first lap that force him to retire.

Marc Márquez, who started thirteenth on the grid, made a great start at the Aragon Grand Prix, moving up into sixth on the first corner. Two corners later, a small slide from the rear of his Repsol Honda RCV213V caused Fabio Quartararo to crash into him from behind. The subsequent activation of the holeshot device on Márquez’ bike caused the rear wheel to lock up, and he then collided with Takaaki Nakagami, after which he was forced to withdraw from the race.

After fifteen rounds of the season, Marc Márquez is fifteenth in the MotoGP World Championship with 60 points.

Marc Márquez, DNF: “I got a really good start to the race and found myself fighting for the top five, instincts took over when the lights went out. But then in Turn 3, I lost the rear a little bit so I closed the gas and the problem was then that Fabio was super close to me. This is normal, it’s racing to be close in the first laps and to try a move in the change of direction, we were just unlucky to have this contact with Fabio. Then everything started, in Turn 5 I felt something strange, and I didn’t really know what was going on fully. In Turn 7 Nakagami overtook me and went wide but when I went to engage the rear device, I felt like the rear was locking. Then everything happened at once as the bike was moving to the left with this locking and I found myself touching with Taka. After this I retired. I went to apologies to Taka and his team because his race was ended by the situation we had. My apologies to him and Fabio.”

Back to news

19 Sep, 2022

Moto GP

Back to news

08 Sep, 2022

Moto GP

Marc Marquez rides the RC213V again at the Misano test

An encouraging first day for the Repsol Honda Team at the Misano Test as Marc Marquez returned to a MotoGP machine 100 days after his operation.

It was a significant day as Marc Marquez made his return to the Repsol Honda Team for the first time since the Italian GP in late May. Starting just after 09:30 Local Time, the eight-time World Champion completed a brief first run to initially assess his right arm. With all signs being positive, he and the Repsol Honda Team switched into work mode and began their testing programme.

Completing a total of 39 laps before stopping for the day during the lunch break, the #93 ended his first day back on the bike with a best time of 1’32.395 – good enough for 11th on Sunday’s San Marino GP grid. Although lap times were not the focus, Marquez was sstill able to end the day 1.1s behind the fastest rider.

Márquez’s efforts were rewarded with a quickest time of 1’31.642, 0.6s faster than his best time from Tuesday and 13th in the combined test rankings. But the most important aspect of the test was the information gained about his physical condition and the feedback given to HRC’s engineers for the future.

Back to news

08 Sep, 2022

Moto GP

Back to news

02 Sep, 2022

Moto GP

Márquez to travel to Misano

Satisfied with the condition of his right arm, Marc Márquez will travel to Misano with the intention of riding the Honda RC213V during the post-race test.

After two positives tests aboard a Honda CBR600RR at the MotorLand Aragon circuit on August 31 and September 02, Marc Márquez has gained valuable knowledge on the condition of his arm.

With the information gained and satisfied with the progress of his right humerus, Márquez will now travel to the San Marino GP with the intention of testing his physical condition further on his Honda RC213V during the post-race MotoGP test. The eight-time World Champion will arrive in Misano on Friday evening to once again observe and work alongside his team and HRC before aiming to take to the circuit on Tuesday.

Back to news

02 Sep, 2022

Moto GP

Back to news

29 May, 2022

Moto GP

Repsol Honda Team endure trying Italian GP race day

Tenth place for Marc Marquez in the 23-lap race was the only reward for the Repsol Honda Tam after three intense days of work in Mugello.

Stable weather returned to the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley for race day once the overnight rain had dried. There were then no signs of the forecasted rain as the grid lined up for the 23-lap race. A great start aboard the RC213V saw Marc Marquez challenge the top five from 11th on the grid in the early stages as he pushed to stay with the leaders. Consistent pace in the high 1’47s to low 1’48s saw him defend his position as best he could, working to stay inside the top ten throughout the race. Crossing the line in 10th place after overtaking Fabio Di Giannantonio, Marquez and the Repsol Honda Team leave Italy with six more points.

Marc Marquez will now prepare for the fourth surgery on his right humerus, flying to the United States on Tuesday and therefore missing the Catalan Grand Prix.

Marc Márquez, 10º: “It was a tough race, like we were expecting. I gave everything in the first seven laps to see if I had the speed of the front riders and our pace wasn’t bad but then I started to struggle physically. I kept calm, I was riding with a comfortable rhythm, and I worked on understanding where we were losing compared to other bikes. The target was to give constructive comments to the team, and we achieved it. Now we have the most important ‘race’ of the season next week. It was difficult to concentrate because I know that next week is very important for my career, but I am proud to have done this race. I look forward to seeing everyone again soon.”

Back to news

29 May, 2022

Moto GP

Back to news

15 May, 2022

Moto GP

Marc Márquez salvage points from trying French GP

The French GP was ultimately a weekend of ups and downs as Marc worked to deliver the maximum potential result in Le Mans.

A morning spit of rain would ultimately amount to nothing as the Le Mans circuit hosted one of the hottest French Grands Prix in recent years. Over 100,000 passionate French fans made for an electric atmosphere as the MotoGP World Championship lined up for round seven of the 2022 season.

Both Repsol Honda Team riders started the race well when the lights went out at 14:00 Local Time, Marc Marquez opting for a wider line through the fast Turn One. There was no waiting around as the eight-time World Champion immediately began to work his way forward, sliding past Nakagami and Quartararo at the end of the first lap. Steady pace followed as Marquez tried to close the distance to the leading group on his RC213V, holding firm in seventh place for much of the race. Crashes ahead would see Marquez cross the line sixth place, collecting ten points.

With a total of 54 points, Marc Marquez maintains his position inside the top-ten in the overall standings.

There is now a week off before the Repsol Honda Team face yet another back-to-back challenge with Mugello and Barcelona, two iconic tracks within less than ten days of each other.

Marc Márquez, SIXTH: “I said yesterday that with a good race our position would be fifth, sixth or seventh and we finished sixth – even if our real position was ninth because there were some falls. It was a solid race at our pace, but it was a really long race and I wasn’t able to push towards the end. All we can do is keep on working, that’s the best way to improve for the future. My target is not just to be finishing as top Honda, it’s to be finishing on the podium but we are not there yet. There’s still more to understand in the next races to close the gap to the front.”

Back to news

15 May, 2022

Moto GP

Back to news

02 May, 2022

Moto GP

Fighting fourth from Marquez ignites the Spanish GP crowd

It might not have been the podium he was aiming for, but Marc Marquez showed he’s ready to fight with a spirited ride to fourth.

Crowds at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España were back to their best as the flocked to the hills of the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto from dawn. Pushing 60,000, the home fans were wanting a show and the 25-lap MotoGP race certainly didn’t disappoint.

Initially launching off the line well, Marc Marquez found Aleix Espargaro in his path and had to alter his trajectory through the opening corner but quickly passed the Aprilia rider. A three-way game of chess would quickly emerge between Marquez, Aleix Espargaro and Miller as the trio tested each other for the majority of the race with a podium finish in view. The powder keg would ignite in the closing laps, Marquez attacking Miller and moving into third place with just five laps to go and with Miller so strong on the brakes, Marquez knew that attacking through the fast Turn 5 would be his best option as their chess game escalated.

From there it was a brawl as Marquez, Miller and Espargaro battled – an incredible save from the #93 at the final corner allowing Espargaro to just break away. A fired-up Marquez refused to let the moment hold him back as he fought until the very end with Miller, pushing his Honda RC213V to the limit and sending the crowd into a frenzy as he left long black lines around the track as Marquez looked to get past Miller again. 13 points in his pocket, Marquez moves up two positions into ninth overall in the championship and sits 45 points behind defending World Champion Fabio Quartararo.

The Repsol Honda Team will now remain in Jerez for the first in-season test of the year, a brief but important Monday test at the 4.4-kilometre-long track. The objective for both Marquez and Espargaro is to find the speed and feeling they had during the winter tests and return to consistently battling at the front of the field.

Marc Márquez, 4º: “Today I gave my maximum and achieved the maximum. I saved my energy through the whole weekend to be ready for Sunday because I’m still not in the condition to do a whole weekend at 100%. It’s the Spanish GP, I had to give it everything on race day. At one point in the race, I thought maybe the podium was possible, the key point was overtaking Miller and stopping Aleix because he was faster than us. This is what I tried to do but then at the last corner I lost the front and the rear but fortunately the Spanish crowd were there to pick me up and save the crash! We don’t give up; we keep pushing and now we prepare for an important Monday test.”

Back to news

02 May, 2022

Moto GP

Back to news

24 Apr, 2022

Moto GP

Marc Márquez finishes sixth in Portugal

A pair of safe finishes for the Repsol Honda Team in at the Portuguese Grand Prix brought with them solid points as Marc Marquez crossed the line in sixth.

Sunday in Portimao started with perhaps the most important session of the weekend, the dry Warm Up the first real chance for the Repsol Honda Team to gather good data in the dry after two days of rain. Both Marc Marquez and Pol Espargaro spent the entirety of the session on track to maximise the information gained. A late lap saw Marquez end the morning in third with Espargaro further down the timesheet in 14th.

Marc Marquez put together a safe Grand Prix in Portimao, crossing the line in sixth place after a close battle with LCR Honda rider Alex Marquez which saw the pair battle to the finish line. Starting in ninth place, Marquez was able to hold position inside the group as the field filtered through the tight opening sector of the track. Settling into tenth place as the first lap came to a close, the eight-time World Champion made steady progress over the following laps and passed his teammate after a brief but intense battle with 19 laps to go. Falls ahead saw Marquez promoted two positions before he ultimately fought for sixth place against Alex Marquez, the pair’s battle going right to the finish.

After the race, Marquez heads to Jerez 11th in the World Championship standings with 31 points – now 38 points behind new World Championship leader and race-winner Fabio Quartararo.

The Repsol Honda Team will now head immediately to Jerez de la Frontera for round six of the MotoGP World Championship. Improving results on both sides of the Repsol Honda Team garage is the only objective for the weekend.

Marc Márquez, 6^th: “It’s not the result we want or want to be fighting for but today we did not have the feeling. Already in Warm Up I was not feeling how I wanted, and we made a small change for the race which helped a bit but the speed of our rivals was more than we had. We were there fighting with Pol in the start of the race and then Alex in the second half, it was an all-Honda battle really. Within this battle we were able to come out on top which was a positive but it’s true this is not where we should be. We need to be faster, in Jerez it’s time to be faster and finish closer to the front.”

Back to news

24 Apr, 2022

Moto GP

Back to news

20 Mar, 2022

Moto GP

Marc Márquez sits out the race after being declared unfit to ride

Sunday at Mandalika started with a big scare for the Repsol Honda Team, who saw rider Marc Márquez suffer a spectacular crash during the Warmup. After a highside at Turn 7, the eight-time World Champion was declared unfit to compete in the Indonesian GP. He suffered a concussion during the crash and will return to Spain for a check-up.

After the Indonesian Grand Prix, Marquez is 12th with 11 points.

Marc Márquez: “What can I say? It has not been our weekend, we have struggled and had problems from the start. It was a really big crash in Warm Up this morning, maybe one of the biggest I have had. I went to the local hospital and while there were no serious problems – it was decided that I should not race. It’s of course a shame, but the best decision.”

Back to news

20 Mar, 2022

Moto GP

Back to news