Marquez expresses gratitude with sprint podium before leaving Honda
Marc Marquez’s Last Race with HRC Ends on a High Note
This weekend marked the end of an era as Marc Marquez bid farewell to the factory Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) team after an impressive 11-year stint and six premier class titles. The Spanish rider will be making a move to join the Gresini Ducati team for the upcoming 2024 season.
Despite starting ninth in Saturday morning’s qualifying session, Marquez showcased his exceptional skills by finishing third in the sprint race. This achievement came behind Pramac’s Jorge Martin and factory KTM rider Brad Binder.
This podium finish was particularly special for Marquez as it marked his first since the Japanese Grand Prix last month. His previous sprint race rostrum appearance dates back to September at the Indian Grand Prix.
Reflecting on his emotions after the race, Marquez shared, “I tried my best to control myself and my emotions, but seeing all these familiar faces up there on that podium made it incredibly difficult. They are and always will be ‘my people’.”
While acknowledging that it was only a sprint race, Marquez emphasized that he gave his all throughout this weekend as a gesture of gratitude towards those who played vital roles in helping him achieve his dreams.
In response to inquiries about whether this would be his final podium appearance for Honda, Marquez stated, “For me personally, it’s the best way to express my appreciation for all these amazing individuals. On the racetrack, you can say ‘thank you’ in many ways and present various gifts, but there’s no greater gift than delivering results.”
Marquez also revealed that his crew chief, Santi Hernandez, had reminded him before the race of his tendency to take unnecessary risks. Despite this cautionary advice, Marquez intends to push himself once again in tomorrow’s main event.
The strength displayed by Marquez during this sprint race is commendable considering his ongoing struggles with the RC213V over the past two seasons. Although he managed to secure three victories in 2021, standing atop a grand prix podium has eluded him since October of that year.
When asked how he was still able to achieve such impressive results with a challenging bike, Marquez attributed it to a combination of factors including taking more risks and finding motivation within himself.
He explained further by saying, “It boils down to a mixture of enjoying the circuit layout and being willing to take calculated risks while staying motivated. During certain points in the championship when maintaining motivation became difficult due to multiple crashes I experienced along the way – that’s when finishing races became crucial for boosting my confidence.”
Marquez concluded by expressing his determination for tomorrow’s main event where he aims not only to finish but also secure a position among the top five riders. With everything seemingly falling into place on their journey together thus far,