Will Marquez stay at Honda next year?

"My in𝄹tention is yes,” he said at Silverstone. Marquez’s c💦urrent deal with Honda makes him the highest-paid MotoGP rider today, and runs until the end of 2024.

Did KTM try to change his mind?

KTM motor💮sport director Pit Beirer admitted he 💝did try to lure Marquez for 2024.

"Unfortunately, I'm afraid that Marc will not be in our line-up next year because he has a contract,” he said. 🐭“We discusꦯsed it and he gave us a clear answer and that's it.”

But what about 2025?

Marquez will be a free agent unless he signs a new Honda deal. This is where KT♔M could swoop.

“You are talking about 2025? The rumours fo🌜r 2024 still haven’t finished,” Marquez said in Austria. “Every week t🦩here is a different rumour!”

But it’s more than a rumour𝓡 now. We know KTM are interested, a🅠nd believe they can offer Marquez a more competitive bike in 2025 than Honda.

Will Marquez be tempted by KTM?

He made his admiration for༒ the manufacturer clear: "When KTM started they were last on the grid. Little by little, they have been get💯ting closer.

“Now they are the second best constructor in the championship, but very soon, more than people might think, they will be ꦓfirst.

"In competition🔜, the key is ambition. If you have ambition you will get there.”

What do KTM’s factory riders think?

Jack Miller said “of course it would” b💙e good for KTM if they signed Marquez.

“If Marc were to come to KTM, it’d be fantastic for KTM to sign a big name like that. And again, it would mean that we are doing something right. Making thi🍒s bike desirable eno🌠ugh for someone who has won eight world titles, to switch.”

Brad Binder reacted to Marquez’s praise of KTM: "I can definitely believe it. With the effort tꦛhey put in, it’s incredible.”

Can KTM afford Marquez?

Marquez will be 32 in 2025, and six ye🤡ars on since his most recent MotoGP championshipꦏ.

In that time he has s🌱uffered a plethora of damaging injuries.

This will be factored into Marquez’s value - but so will his brilliance, and the pote📖ntial for him to deliver KTM’s first premier cla𒆙ss title.

Red Bull may be t𝓰he X-fac🌳tor to get this deal over the line.

Can Honda still cling on to Marquez?

Time is ⭕running out toܫ show evidence for the improvements that Marquez needs to see.

Yasuharu Watanabe, the HRC president, confirmed Honda won’t quit MotoGP a🍸nd insisted: “We have no🙈 choice but to build fast bikes and machines that can win.

🅷“Every time I go to the MotoGP site, I always have a long talk with Marc. 🐽;

"We have to build and delive💫r the machine you want, and we'll do it as soon as possible.”

Why don’t Ducati want Marquez?

They have🌊 regularly claimed that signing a 31-year-old who earns big money does not align with the strategy that put Ducati back on top of the MotoGP 🍸world.

They prefer to p✤romote youn🧸ger, hungry riders - which, clearly, worked with Francesco Bagnaia.

But the Pramac seat…

Where t🦂hings become interesting is the unexpected vacancy at Pramac Racing, on a latest-spec Desmosediciꦓ.

The best bike on the 2024 gri𓂃d has no co🧔nfirmed rider, astonishingly.

Johann Zarco left it to join LCR Honda, and Marco Bezzecchi 🎃may stay at VR46 rather than join Pramac.

Marquez has even been l🅺inked to Gresini, quite unexpectedly and sensationally. He would partner his brother Alex there.

Can Ducati be tempted to ask Marquez?