Setback for Marc Marquez as doubts grow that a key ally will join him at Ducati

The eight-time world champion rocked MotoGP with confirmation that he will quit Honda at the end of 2023, and he is expected to ride for Gresini next year.

But, important allies such as Santi Hernandez, his long-time crew chief, will be left behind at Honda, according to Motorsport.

Marquez tried to bring his most trusted technicians, who have been with him since his Moto2 days, with him from Honda to Ducati but the Italian manufacturer would not welcome them, the report indicates.

Ducati do not want to show the inner-workings of MotoGP’s best bike to a group of engineers who, at the end of 2024, will become free agents and could take the knowledge to a rival manufacturer.

“Marquez leaves Honda without Santi Hernandez,” TNT Sports reported.

Marquez, as a result, must join Gresini’s existing staff on an expected one-year contract.

"Now the question is what they are going to do with that bike and what will be the technical team that will manage that bike,” DAZN report.

"In the event that Marc has new people, the rider will have to be coupled to the technicians and vice versa. 

“Whether Marc can take all his technical team is very different. For me it is key that he can take all his human team of these years.”

Marquez looks likely to be without Santi Hernandez for the first time in his premier class career.

Gresini, within their ranks already, possess Frankie Carchedi as the crew chief to Fabio di Giannantonio, the rider who is set to lose his bike to Marquez.

Carchedi was the crew chief to Joan Mir when he won the 2020 MotoGP title.