Alberto Puig explains what sets Marc Marquez apart from every other MotoGP champion he’s worked with

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Marc Marquez made MotoGP history with Honda in the 2010s, winning six championships between 2013 to 2019.

Valentino Rossi was already worried about Marquez after his debut race in Qatar. The Spaniard was immediately on the pace of the seven-time MotoGP champion after stepping up from Moto2.

The Spaniard went on to win the title in his rookie season and established himself as one of the all-time greats with the Japanese manufacturer, winning a further five championships.

Only losing the 2015 title, where he finished third behind Jorge Lorenzo and Rossi, Marquez was unstoppable on the RC213V during most of the 2010s.

However, at the turn of the decade, Marquez suffered a near-career-ending crash at Jerez, which started a torrid period of constant injuries and lacklustre performances as Honda regressed dramatically.

Marquez bought his way out of his Honda contract to join Gresini in 2024, before moving onto the factory Ducati team this season. While he is embarking on a new adventure, he keeps a close relationship with Honda personnel, notably Alberto Puig.

Alberto Puig has never had an ‘excellent’ friendship like with Marc Marquez than any other MotoGP champion

The Honda HRC manager joined the team in 2018, being a part of Marquez’s final two championship wins with the Japanese manufacturer.

In his time in MotoGP, Puig has had the privilege of working with several top riders, such as Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner. However, speaking with the Spanish edition of Motorsport.com, none of them quite compare to Marquez.

Even though he has moved on to Ducati, the 58-year-old understands it is important that the parties do not forget one another. Puig claims he has not had an ‘excellent’ friendship like with Marquez than with any other rider he has worked with.

“Of course, and that’s how it should be, I think. Honda is left with the victories and titles that Marc has given them, the dominance of the category for many years,” he said.

“And for me, personally, I’m left with an excellent personal relationship and friendship with him. All the riders I’ve worked with have been world champions, but without discrediting any of them, the relationship I have with Marc I haven’t had with any of them.”

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Alberto Puig identifies Marc Marquez’s weakness while with Honda

What Marquez achieved at Honda is nothing short of incredible. It is therefore understandable that Puig is hesitant to criticise the Spaniard.

But Puig remembers having to be blunt with Marquez to get things across and make everything clear. The 58-year-old does have a ‘brutal’ approach towards his riders, but it seemed to benefit Marquez as he claimed two more titles under his tenure.

Things took a dramatic turn, however, after his Jerez crash in 2020. Marquez missed the entirety of the season with a broken arm and struggled continuously with injury over the next few years.

The 2023 German Grand Prix was Marquez’s ‘lowest point’ with Honda as he was forced to withdraw from the race due to numerous falls in the warm-up. It was right time to move on for the 32-year-old, who is now flourishing at Ducati with eight out of 10 wins so far in 2025.