How Marc Marquez’s Honda exit ‘changed the entire procedure’ within their MotoGP team

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Marc Marquez’s exit from Honda at the end of the 2023 season had a profound effect on their MotoGP project, for better and for worse.

After his accident at Jerez in 2020, the Spaniard struggled to regain his previous form, during which he won six titles between 2013 and 2019. Injury setbacks and the RC213V’s underdevelopment hampered his recovery.

After undergoing multiple surgeries and failing to be competitive on the bike, Marquez left Honda for Gresini in 2024. Interestingly, Jorge Lorenzo says losing Marquez wasn’t Honda’s biggest mistake, but rather not signing Ducati chief Luigi Dall’Igna.

That claim is backed up by the obvious regression of the RC213V. Honda scored only 75 points in 2024, highlighting how having a better development plan or an engineer to guide them could have helped their situation.

But Marquez’s departure heavily damaged the team, as they could no longer rely on him for race wins and podiums, with their other riders unable to compete with him. However, in the wake of his exit, it improved the circumstances of satellite team LCR.

Marc Marquez’s exit from Honda allowed LCR to get upgrades faster

Speaking to Speedweek, LCR boss Lucio Cecchinello explained how his team received upgrades ‘with a delay’ when Marquez was at Honda, as he got priority with new parts. Once he left, the team’s operation changed, and the satellite team received upgrades much faster.

Cecchinello said: “To understand the whole situation, you have to look back to the Marc Marquez era. Back then, after the HRC test riders had tested a development part, it always went to Marc Marquez first.

“And then, with a delay, it arrived for us. After Marc left, Honda changed the entire procedure. For the 2024 season, enormous effort was made to ensure that all Honda riders received development parts simultaneously.

“From then on, at least three, but usually all four, pilots always received all updates simultaneously. Whether aero packages or completely new engines, quantities were always planned for all pilots. Nothing has changed in this regard to this day, and it will still be the case in 2026.

“Nevertheless, during the 2025 season there were situations where not all new parts were available at the same time. However, this was never due to Honda’s specifications – but simply to capacity problems at some suppliers.”

READ MORE: Everything to know about Marc Marquez from net worth to girlfriend

Marc Marquez returning to Honda – could it happen?

Alberto Puig had no hard feelings towards Marquez when he decided to leave Honda. Ultimately, he knew that the Spaniard wanted to be on the best bike, and Ducati had what he needed.

After one season at Gresini, he moved to the factory Ducati team and dominated 2025, claiming his seventh premier class title and ninth overall Grand Prix title.

Heading into 2026, Marquez is out of contract at the end of the year. Ducati will be keen to keep him on board, but a potential return to Honda has been thrown into the air for the MotoGP rider market.

Carlo Pernat says Liberty Media will want Marquez back at Honda, as it would make for great ‘storytelling’. He believes that the team would offer a ‘small country’s budget’ to sign him, and he will not think twice if he is guaranteed a competitive bike.