Numerous names were mentioned in the search for a successor to Marquez at Honda, but team manager Alberto Puig ruled some of them out from the outset
When Respol-Honda came to the crunch relatively late in the 2023 MotoGP season and Marc Marquez announced his move to Gresini-Ducati, there was weeks of speculation about his possible successor. Numerous names emerged. In the end, the choice fell on Luca Marini from VR46-Ducati.
This came as a surprise, not only because Marini had actually extended his contract with VR46 shortly beforehand. But in an interview with Marca, Honda team manager Alberto Puig explains: “Firstly, there weren’t that many options.”
“Secondly, we analyzed his career, both in Moto2 and MotoGP, and he is a very consistent rider, quite analytical, young and he was the first person to contact us – he and his group – when they found out that Marc was leaving. He was the first to show interest.”
“So we analyzed and evaluated him and it was a corporate decision to sign him,” explains Puig. Together with Joan Mir, who has been with Honda since 2023, Marini is set to bring the struggling manufacturer out of its slump in form.
“We are sure that we will get good input from him, because he comes from a winning machine and can give us a lot of information,” says Puig.
In the midst of speculation about Marquez’s successor, names such as Miguel Oliveira, Pole Espargaro and Fabio Di Giannantonio were mentioned, as well as that of Moto2 champion Pedro Acosta. When asked about this, however, the Honda team manager waves it off.
“I have never considered that. We have never considered signing a non-MotoGP rider for next season because we believe that Acosta or (Fermin) Aldeguer have no experience on a MotoGP bike,” said Puig, explaining his approach.
“So it would be a first year where the rider doesn’t give us data, but receives data from the team, and we don’t need that. We needed someone who knows about a MotoGP bike to get something from him. That was the priority: a MotoGP rider with some experience.”
“We know that there are very fast Moto2 riders. But now it would have been a mistake to sign a rider for next season who is moving up a class. “
When Honda did just that last time and promoted Marc Marquez from Moto2 straight to the factory team, the manufacturer embarked on an unprecedented run of success. However, his injury at the start of 2020 broke this streak. The slump in form has continued ever since.
As a result, not only did Alex Rins leave LCR-Honda after just one year, but Marquez also pulled the ripcord at the end. “Our goal now is to improve the bike,” emphasizes Puig.
“Because if we don’t improve the bike, we won’t be able to convince riders to come and race with us. We know that if we have a competitive bike, people will want to ride with Honda, because Honda is Honda,” says the Spaniard.
“As difficult as the current situation is, Honda is not Ducati or Aprilia, Honda is Honda. If we have this bike, I know that the riders will want to come. “
