The double MotoGP podium finisher made his debut with Honda in 2020, but will switch to Ducati next year after signing a one-year deal to replace Enea Bastianini at Gresini.
After a promising debut campaign, in which he scored his two podiums, Marquez – like all Honda riders – has struggled to replicate this on the RC213V, with the Spaniard currently 18th in the standings on just 27 points.
Outgoing Suzuki rider Alex Rins will replace Marquez at LCR next year after signing a two-year deal directly with Honda.
Speaking exclusively to Autosport on the eve of this weekend’s British Grand Prix, Marquez says he felt both LCR and himself needed a change – and concedes at the time he told the team of his decision to leave, sitting on the sidelines in 2023 was a real option.
“I spoke with Lucio in Sachsenring for the future directly to the team manager, which is the best thing to approach and to see what the people want,” Marquez said when asked what prompted his Gresini switch.
“This is the main thing. I already opened up to him and I said ‘Lucio, I think I need a change. I think you as a team also need a change and I don’t have motivation to stay here. I’m really happy with the team but I think I need a change of bike.’
“In that moment I didn’t have anything on the table, so I said to him ‘maybe I will be at home [next year].’
“But I will not keep following a team that I don’t have the motivation for, especially in the bike.
“So, from that moment they started to speak with Rins, I started to speak with other teams. Luckily for me I had the opportunity with Gresini and Ducati.
“Honestly [not riding in 2023] was an option because the step to go to Superbikes or another championship was not on the table at that point.
“I said ‘Ok, if I don’t have a space here I will stop for one year and then I will see what the goal is in life’. Luckily, I had this option with Gresini, but to do other things in life was on the table – honestly speaking.”
Alex Marquez, Team LCR Honda
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Marquez also noted that Honda was looking to overhaul its line-up and potentially replace him, which only further motivated his decision.
“I think for both parties it was the same feeling, to make a change for them because from Honda also they have felt to change the riders for some reason,” he continued.
“I will not go really into that because I have another opinion.
“But it was also a Honda…
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