Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez is edging ever closer to his MotoGP™ comeback, with news breaking on Wednesday evening that he has been given the all clear to start training on motorcycles once again. It certainly is a positive development, and the eight-time World Champion can fully focus his attention on getting back on the RC213V as soon as possible.
It's been a troublesome period for Honda, failing to register a podium finish since the opening night in Qatar, while they also failed to score any Championship points for the first time in 40 years at the German Grand Prix in June. The absence of their star man hasn't helped matters, while he recently called the vision of the project into question. One thing is clear though when Marquez does eventually return, he wants a winning bike. If that isn't the case, he has hinted that he may have to explore his options.
"It depends on Honda, how much do I give them? The two years I have on my contract. I'm not going to deny it. I always say: 'Honda is Honda, the brand of my dreams'. They have given me a lot of respect and I am very grateful for everything they have done, but as long as I compete and I think I have the level, I want a winning project. If not..." Marquez told Izaksun Ruiz from Spanish broadcaster DAZN recently.
Marquez failed to elaborate any further on those comments, but it seems that another lengthy spell on the sidelines has failed to quell his desire to be the best once he does eventually return. He has also admitted that time off has been just as difficult mentally as it has been physically. Many outsiders speculated that he may decide to hang up the leathers due to his injury woes, with the number 93’s own grandfather suggesting he do as much, but Marquez is made of sterner stuff than most, though he admits that even he has a threshold.
"My grandfather told me: 'Nen, leave it now, you have enough to live on, what you've done is done, leave it'. I promised my grandfather: 'I promise it's the last chance for the arm'. I told him that if this one doesn't... there are no more places left to open. It's difficult in terms of mentality: they take the sling off, I start to move my arm, I could pick up a normal glass and I could eat a piece of meat without lifting my elbow. Now I eat like a normal person, it's just little things. I haven't lifted my arm 90 degrees for a year. I've been on a high for two weeks now, but there will be lows, it happens.
The Repsol Honda ace was also present in the team box across the weekend in Austria, casting a watchful eye over proceedings at the Red Bull Ring. On Thursday last, he held a special media scrum where he spoke truthfully and in-depth about the current Honda project, and how he feels it needs a shake-up in vision if they are to restore their status as MotoGP™ kingpins in light of a couple of underwhelming seasons.
"It's not lost, but it's at a point where it would be very easy to panic. And when you panic, you make decisions in the heat of the moment, quick decisions that you may regret later. The good thing is that there is no one in the team with a blindfold on. I tell them: 'Don't think that changing drivers is going to solve the issue,'" he said continuing the conversation with Ruiz.
"It's not a disaster. It's like a jigsaw puzzle, all the pieces on the table and some of them are turned around. I'm not asking for anyone's head, but in the ways of working, I get the feeling that information is being lost, very good ideas, just because... I don't know, the emails sometimes get lost.
As for 2023, Marquez is aiming to get back to winning ways. As is often said in MotoGP™, your first rival is your teammate, and even though we don’t know who his next teammate is, the Cervera native won’t stand on ceremony to welcome him, already planning on being top dog for the Japanese marque once again.
"My goal, when a team-mate comes, is to beat him. I don't care if he is a rookie or a world champion like Mir. I want it to be one side of the box or the other, both bikes to win, as it was in 2013 when I came."