Marc Marquez updates deadline for decision; Do concessions hinge on his future?

Amid a rumoured Marc Marquez move to Gresini, would rival manufacturers be more willing to allow revised MotoGP technical concessions for Honda and Yamaha if he leaves?
Marc Marquez, Fabio Quartararo, Austrian MotoGP, 17 August
Marc Marquez, Fabio Quartararo, Austrian MotoGP, 17 August

Despite previously indicating that “around India-Japan, I will decide”, Marc Marquez has play💃ed down expectations of an announcement on his 2024 MotoGP plans at Motegi this weekend.

"I won't communicate my choice at Motegi, because there I will have to be 100% concentrated on the track,” he told after Sunday’s Indian round.

The inaugural Buddh event was significant for🌊 the first public comments by Ducati management backing up speculation that Gresini now has a ಞreal “opportunity” to sign Marquez alongside younger brother Alex.

“We hear what you [media] 𓆉hear, [that] he will talk to Honda management in Japan and make a decision,” predicted Ducati sportin🐼g director Paolo Ciabatti.

Marquez responded: “Nobody is inside my head. I already said at the Misano test that only one,𒈔 two or three people around me know what I’m thinking [for next year]. I know what I need, what I want.”

Marquez also said of meetings already held with HRC bosses: “I’m looking for the best for everybody, not only for me. We are trying to build the project, to😼 f🔯ind the best solution for the project and for the future. For Honda’s future, for my future, to try and be better. This is the main target."

The 'best solution' for Honda's future is undoubtedly for Marquez, the standout rider of the current grid with six pre🦋mier-class titles and a record 59 Honda wins, to stay&nb🎉sp;and complete his 2024 contract.

But if the Gresini move does materialise it might ꦇat least help accelerate the proposed concession changes.

Could Marquez's decision have an impact on concessions?

Talks on introducing a more flexible concܫession package to h🌟elp underperforming manufacturers, which would initially benefit Yamaha and Honda (second-last and last in the constructors’ standings), appear to have stalled.

Since agreem൩ent from all five manufacturers is needed for the revised concessions to become reality, it's possible that the European brands - Ducati, KTM and Aprilia - are waiting to see where Marquez decides to race next year.

Whilst open to the idea of revised concessions, the Europeans are natural꧒🐟ly cautious of handing the once long-dominant Japanese giants too many technical perks and wiping out their own hard-earned advantage.

But the Europeans agreeing to grant Honda access to technical concessions without Marc Marquez is a far less 'dangerous' decision than allowing Honda concessions with Marquez, who won 12 of 19 races in his last fully🍌 fit 2019 s🧜eason.

As the beneficiary of any Marquez-Gresini move, Ducati's opposition to the revised concessions proposed by Dorna, which would see initial perks such as ex✃tra testing become more acce⭕ssible, would likely fade anyway.

Repsol Honda enjoyed its best weekend of the year in India with third for Marquez in the Sprint and fifth for team-mate Joan Mir in the Grand Prix. Yamaha also took onlyꦉ its second Grand Pꦆrix podium of the season with Fabio Quartararo.

Nonetheless, the riders’ standings continue to make grim reading for ♎the Japanese brands wit🔥h Ducati, KTM and Aprilia competitors filling the top ten.

At present, just one (Sunday) podium 🍃per season is needed to prevent a manufacturer from receiving technical concessions the following year.

So unless the rules are changedꦆ, Honda (which won in COTA with Alex Rins, but otherwise hadn't finished in the top six until Sunday) and Yamaha will not benefit i﷽n 2024.

Read More