Marquez putting “maximum commitment” into Honda MotoGP project

The eight-time world champion withdrew from last weekend’s German GP having suffered five crashes across a round that is becoming viewed as the nadir of the Honda/Marquez relationship.

Marquez is still contracted to Honda for another year, but the events of Germany have raised discussion about the possibility of the Spaniard buying out of his deal.

Read more: Why a MotoGP divorce is now the only option for Marquez and Honda

When asked by motogp.com to address his 2024 future on Thursday at the Dutch GP, Marquez said: “If I’m here, it’s because my commitment with Honda is maximum and I want to work with them to improve for the future, to improve our project.

“I’m here to work with them. At the moment I’m here to work with them, and as I see it, to work with them for the future means [for] next year’s project.

“This year won’t change much, so the commitment is maximum.”

Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Marquez suffered a fracture to his thumb in the warm-up crash in Germany which ultimately forced to him to withdraw from the grand prix, and revealed he also cracked a rib.

At the time, he stated his reasoning for pulling out of the Sachsening race was down to him being “not ready”.

While conceding he has “a limit” for how ready he feels for the Dutch GP, Marquez noted that his participation was “important” for Honda given Alex Rins and Joan Mir remain absent through injury.

“[There’s] a limit, but ready,” he said.

“I think that I will be ready to race, especially in Germany when I crashed in the warm-up, the first hour [after] I felt ready to go.

“But then, as the hours passed, every time I felt more and more pain, especially on the ankle, on the fracture on the thumb.

“But also I felt strange and there was a crack also in the second rib. So, this will be the most painful during this weekend.

“But we will try to start step by step, and let’s see. It was important also to be here, because two of the main riders in Honda are injured – that is Mir and Rins.

“We wish the best for them. So, Honda needs bikes on track to improve for the future.”