Undeniably one of the big stars of the World Championship, Marc Marquez is never far from the headlines. With eight world titles to his name, the Repsol Honda star has experienced more than most could dream of achieving in the sport, though recent times have seen him encounter a barren spell aboard the RC213V.
The #93 current contract runs through until the end of 2024, but following an underwhelming campaign to date, many have questioned whether he would see out the rest of his deal. Marquez though has responded to the rumours and spoke to Spanish broadcaster DAZN in a one-to-one interview.
"Yes, I know where I will be racing in 2024. As of today, I have a contract with Honda, but they have put my name on all the bikes. Someone will get it right, won't they?
"Of course, there have been calls. When you notice that someone is in a difficult moment and you bet on them, there are calls, of course. Whether they were from one or the other, whether one rejected or not, out of respect for all the brands, I won't say who, how, or how it happened. But there have been contacts, obviously," he added.
Marquez also touched upon the upcoming Misano Test, which is of major importance to a number of teams, though the Spaniard says it isn’t critical to his own plans.
"I have never said that my future depends on the Misano Test from my own mouth. We have to look for the best solution for the project. And this is based in Austria; we're testing new aerodynamics. It's different, okay, but we are trying something different."
"In Misano, you already start to see a little bit of the 2024 project, and how it will go. Whether it will go better or worse. You begin to sense how 2024 will go. We have to keep working on the project to find the best solution in every sense," says Marquez, emphasising one idea: "When you're in a situation like this, you have to work together. Otherwise, it's impossible to get out."
Reflecting on his earlier expectations for the season, Marquez discussed how he had wanted to compete for the title, but after a series of crashes and injuries, he feels, "You slow down the beast I have inside with a series of blows."
Fortunes have fared slightly better for the HRC star since the summer break, managing to collect back-to-back points finishes in Austria and Catalunya after a series of DNS and DNFs’. Next up is the challenge of Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, where he took the chequered flag first on his last visit. Will we see his uptick of form continue throughout this weekend? Make sure you tune in to find out!