Espargaro set for ‘emotional weekend’ in final appearance for Repsol Honda

A dream move for the Spaniard at the time of his MotoGP switch from the factory KTM team, Espargaro’s time at Honda has been dominated by difficult moments. 

Pole position at Silverstone in 2021 and a podium at the 2022 season-opener at Qatar were highlights of his time with Repsol Honda, however, Espargaro has found it tough to put consistent performances together throughout his two seasons with the team. 

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"It is going to be an emotional weekend, my last one with the Repsol Honda Team,” said Espargaro. “I want to thank everyone inside HRC, Repsol and the team for these two years. 

"Together we have lived through some incredible moments and fought to overcome the hard times. Valencia is a circuit I really enjoy, we didn’t have any luck there last year but I want to say goodbye to everyone with a strong weekend. 

"Let’s just enjoy this last race and focus on the positives that we achieved together. Thanks everyone."

What’s possible for Marc Marquez at Valencian MotoGP?

One of the most in-form riders since making his comeback at Aragon, Marquez has delivered several stunning performances. 

Those include pole at Motegi, a podium in Phillip Island and producing two stunning laps during qualifying at Sepang which ultimately led to a front row start. 

A track that doesn't rely on top speed and one where the rider can make more of a difference, add to that Marquez’s impressive record in Valencia which consists of six podiums in seven premier class appearances, and the eight-time world champion could find himself in the battle for victory once again. 

Marquez said: "The last race in a long and very different kind of year. We’ve been learning every weekend since we came back and that’s the objective again for this race. 

"I think Valencia will suit our bike better than in Sepang, so hopefully we can be closer to the front. It’s a track where I have had good results here in the past and you get some close races because of the layout. 

"No matter what I think it will be an exciting weekend for the fans with both the Moto2 and MotoGP titles on the line."