Marc Marquez has opened up on the burden of leaving Honda for Ducati.
The choice has paid off on-track, with Marc Marquez returning to profitable methods final 12 months on Gresini’s year-old Ducati.
He’s now prime of the MotoGP standings after 4 rounds in 2025, having received seven out of eight races.
However Marquez wanted to interrupt his Honda contract, which was probably the most profitable within the sport on the time, to prioritise the higher equipment on supply at Ducati.
He additionally stopped working with long-time sponsors Crimson Bull and Repsol.
Marquez reportedly walked away from a Honda supply price 9 figures.
Marc Marquez: “The cash is essential…”
“It was a giant accountability, and an excellent tough choice,” Marquez informed Motorsport about leaving Honda, the place he had loved his heyday and received every of his six MotoGP titles.
“Greater than the cash, which for everyone, 98% of individuals, the cash is essential…”
Marquez was reminded how a lot cash he had earned from his MotoGP success with Honda.
He acknowledged: “Sure, however the cash is all the time essential. Do you will have sufficient? Sure. Would you like extra? Sure.
“That was tough. However probably the most tough factor have been the relationships.
“I must be loyal with individuals who gave me my profession.
“However earlier than taking a call I spoke to Honda, Crimson Bull, Repsol. They gave me recommendation, 80% was ‘you’re right here to compete, to do your greatest, typically in life you could take a call, if the mechanics from Honda are your pals, they are going to [stay] your pals’.
“We had a dinner collectively in Barcelona. We didn’t discuss bikes, we spoke about life. Dinner as mates.
“After listening to all of the individuals, they satisfied me.
“They stated: ‘You’re caring for your mechanics, your loved ones, your sponsors but it surely’s your profession – it will likely be 15 or 20 years, you could make the very best of it’.
“I’d’ve favored to remain in the identical crew with the identical individuals as a result of it was my goal.
“However I wanted to seek out the very best to carry out in the easiest way.
“That was my choice to proceed with my profession. As a result of I used to be not having fun with it, I’d’ve stopped, that’s it.”
Marquez credit Gresini Racing for serving to him to rediscover his love of racing final 12 months, after a brutal crash-filled 2023 with Honda.
This 12 months, Marquez has stepped as much as manufacturing facility Ducati equipment and has left teammate Pecco Bagnaia trailing in his wake.
In the meantime, Honda’s MotoGP challenge has proven indicators of enchancment too.
