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

Despite previously indicating that “around India-Japan, I will decide”, Marc Marquez has played 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 Sky Italia 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 real “opportunity” to sign Marquez alongside younger brother Alex.

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

Marquez responded: “Nobody is inside my head. I already said at the Misano test that only one, 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 find 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 premier-class titles and a record 59 Honda wins, to stay and complete his 2024 contract.

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

Could Marquez's decision have an impact on concessions?

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

Since agreement 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 naturally 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 season.

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 extra testing become more accessible, 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 only its second Grand Prix podium of the season with Fabio Quartararo.

Nonetheless, the riders’ standings continue to make grim reading for the Japanese brands with 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 changed, Honda (which won in COTA with Alex Rins, but otherwise hadn't finished in the top six until Sunday) and Yamaha will not benefit in 2024.