It was expected, and Honda, which let Marc Marquez prematurely terminate a contract running until the end of December 2024, shouldn’t be surprised by this news, which is perhaps only the first of its kind. The Red Bull logo will no longer appear on the fairings of the Repsol RC213Vs, despite a binding agreement which also ran until the end of the eight-time World Champion’s theoretical contract. The Austrian beverage that would give the Spaniard wings to fly away from the Honda factory team to Gresini Ducati. Another brand, Estrella Galicia, is reportedly ready to follow in the same footsteps.
The more time passes, the more we wonder how Honda is managing its MotoGP project. Technically, we’ve known for far too long that the men from HRC are outmatched by the new situation created by Ducati. But politically, the latest events are reminiscent of an inventory before closing. First of all, it has been decided to let star rider Marc Marquez go before his contract expires at the end of 2024, without penalty, but also without restrictions: on November 28, he will be able to start work on the Gresini Ducati at the first test of the MotoGP off-season in Valencia.
But there’s more to come. The sponsors are now leaving the fairing of the RC213V Repsol. According to Speedweek, Red Bull will be joining Marc Marquez at Gresini Ducati. It’s clear that he won’t be riding for free, and this strong message is already giving us an idea of where he might be heading in 2025… For Honda, this partnership, which has lasted since 2006, is not neutral, since the contract signed with the Austrian brand until the end of 2024 prohibits it from entering into any agreement with another company of the same name. Surprisingly, even if it were to withdraw prematurely from its investment …
While we’re on the subject of sport drinks, Honda may not have drunk the chalice to the dregs yet, as Estrella Galicia, the Spanish brewery with no energy-enhancing virtues, is the next brand to pull out. This year, it had not put its eggs in the same basket, following Alex Marquez to Gresini Ducati and Marc to Repsol Honda. With the two brothers now reunited, there would be no reason to split the budget between two teams.
And what about Repsol? The energy supplier is not likely to revise its plans, especially at this crucial time when it will be necessary to communicate about the sustainable fuel that will start to be found in MotoGP tanks next year. The current agreement runs until the end of 2024. Honda will therefore have lost not only its eight-time World Champion, but also its investors. That said, the saving of an estimated annual salary of 15 million euros should break even.