Alberto Puig Counters Marquez Rumors - 'It Will Go Like The Contract'
Categories: MotoGP
At the Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, one question has dominated discussions: Is Marc Marquez preparing to bid farewell to the Repsol Honda Team and venture into Gresini Racing MotoGP™ for the 2024 season?
Adding fuel to the rumor mill, Marquez himself ignited speculation by sharing a cryptic video on social media, accompanied by the enigmatic statement, “Things are happening.”
As the MotoGP Practice session was about to commence in Misano, our motogp.com pitlane reporter, Jack Appleyard, secured an exclusive interview with Alberto Puig, the Team Manager of Repsol Honda, to provide the latest insights into this captivating narrative.
Addressing the current contractual landscape, Puig remarked, “Well I can only talk to you or give you the information that I know and that we have, as you said we have a contract for 2024 with him and he never came to us, informing us that he won’t be staying with us.”
Puig emphasized the team’s unwavering commitment to adhere to the terms of the existing contract: “For us, it will go like the contract we have and this is what I can tell you because I didn’t have any communication from the rider or the rider’s manager.”
When queried about Honda’s contingency plans should Marquez decide to depart at the conclusion of the 2023 season, Puig elucidated the team’s standpoint:
“At this juncture, we haven’t formulated such plans, primarily because, as I mentioned earlier, when riders are under contract, contemplating alternatives becomes irrelevant.”
“To advance a problem before it’s there is not a very smart thing to do. Normally you try to fix a problem when you have the problem but at this moment we don’t have this information.”
Amid the whirlwind of speculation surrounding Marquez’s future, Puig alluded to Honda’s primary concerns being elsewhere:
“I have concerns that we are not performing and that our bike isn’t good. I have no concern because I received no information.”
The enigma enveloping Marquez’s impending decisions remains a captivating narrative that will continue to enthrall MotoGP enthusiasts until an official announcement emerges.
The central question of whether the eight-time World Champion will remain loyal to the current team or embark on a new adventure remains unanswered.
The racing world eagerly awaits the resolution of this storyline as it unfolds. Stay tuned for further updates on this gripping development.
