Marquez insists Honda’s increased F1 involvement not harming MotoGP project

Honda is in the midst of a dire period in MotoGP, with two of the last four years seeing the brand go winless in the premier class.

While LCR’s Alex Rins was able to end its victory drought earlier in 2023 at the Americas GP, it has so far proven to be an outlier result as all of HRC’s stable struggle on the troubled RC213V.

Marquez has just 15 points to his credit having crashed out of the podium battle once again last weekend in Italy, having done the same at the previous round in France.

Honda’s MotoGP struggles come as the HRC division of Honda has brought both bike racing and car racing under the one banner.

From 2026, Honda will return to F1 fully as an engine manufacturer with Aston Martin.

However, Marquez insists that Honda’s increased F1 involvement is not harming the MotoGP project and hopes it can prove to be a boost.

Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“I have never felt that they have not bet on the bikes,” Marquez said on Thursday at the German Grand Prix.

“In fact, the project is the same now as when I entered 10 or 11 years ago, the commitment of the brand.

“I see them [working] and little things are coming; sometimes they work and sometimes not, but I see them with interest [in the project].

“If they did not have it the bosses would not come [to speak to me].

"It is also true that they have a lot of potential, it is difficult to know what happens here, what happens in Japan, the philosophy is different.

“Now, since last year, the car and bike departments have joined forces and hopefully that can help us in the MotoGP project.”

During the Italian GP weekend, Marquez held a meeting with Honda Motor Company’s second-highest ranking boss Shinji Aoyama and HRC president Koji Watanabe about the Japanese marque’s current woes.

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Speaking about it at the Sachsenring on Thursday, Marquez says it was positive – though also admitted requested upgrades likely won’t be ready until after the summer break.

Marquez ended the opening practice for this weekend’s German GP second-fastest in a rain-hit session.