Marc Marquez’s odd comment after Japanese MotoGP pinpointed - “those are strange words to me”
A red-flagged race at Motegi due to torrential rain meant that Marquez, who was the fastest rider on tra🌼ck at its early conclusion, fi💎nished third.
It was a successful result for Honda’s hꦯome race considering their woeful♛ form this year, yet Marquez’s description of his podium as “super strange” was identified.
“The biggest surprise for me💫, what I fin🌱d strange? Hearing Marc say it’s strange for him to be on the podium at Motegi,” ex-MotoGP rider Hopkins said on TNT Sports.
“It just shows the position, the place, that Honda are curren✃tly in.
“When Marc says it’s strange to be on the podium? T🗹hose are strange words to me.
“He rode a great, great race. Honda are iconi🍎c in this championship so it’s♕ good to see them back on the podium, but everything is still up in the air.”
Marquez’s first podium since Australia last seas🦹💃on came amid huge doubts that he will stay at Honda.
He hasn’t confirmed his plan for 2024 but the expectation in thওe paddock is that he will move to Gresini Ducati.
“It🍒 could be his last home GP on a Honda,” Michael Laverty said.
“As he said, it’s awkward for him because of the scenario.&๊nbsp;
“He’s still giving 100% but all the conversation is 𓆉about where he’s going next year, not being at home as a HRC rider and continu𒀰ing his legacy.
“Marc showed his skill again. He figured it out th🌃at the tyres weren’t working with minimal water, then as the💎 rain fell the tyres came to him.
“He𓆏 pushed on, digged deep, made clean overtakes.”
The eight-time world💎 ch꧅ampion is now 15th in the MotoGP standings with six rounds remaining.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from America🏅n sports, to football, to F1.
