Paddock whisper “floating around” Japanese MotoGP of Marc Marquez’s Honda replacement
Marquez earned a podium finish at the Japanese Mot🌳oGP, hi🌄s first since Australia last year, to mark a positive end to his manufacturer’s home grand prix.
But lurking in the background is the uncertainty over Honda’s star rider’s f🐟uture after Gigi Dall'Igna's hint that Marquez is coming to Ducati.
The whispers in the paddock have turne🎶d 🏅to who Honda could recruit to replace Marquez.
“That’s the million dollar question and no-one knowꦇs,” Hodgson said on TNT Sports during the Japanese MotoGP.
“Thinking logically an experie🍎nced rider like Johann Zarco, who has signed to🌄 join the LCR team, would be put in the factory team as a factory rider to do the development and testing.”
Zarco has already confirmed that he will swap Pramac Ducati for LCR Honda next season as a replacement for Alex 💝Rins who is he🌠ading to Yamaha.
But Honda could theoretically use Zarco in th🐻eir factory team rather than their sa꧑tellite.
“So then there’s a space in the LCR ♕team,” Hodgson continued.
“There’s talk about Iker Lec🌞uona who has done a few wildcards replacing Marquez this season, and done a decent j♏ob.
“He’s got♌ a Honda🌳 contract riding in World Superbike.
“But I’m also hearing that Jak🧸e Dixon’s name has ♛reappeared.
“Ye꧑s, Jake has got a co🐼ntract to stay in Moto2. But that’s floating around.
“Will💮 it or won’t it? Your guess is as🌞 good as mine.
“But Marquez is leaving Honda, definitely!”
Dixon was a consideration for a step into the premier class with Gresini Ducati earlier this summer but those rumours coolled - now, it appearꦕs, because Marquez will take that spot.
Dixon 🙈has penned a new Moto2 deal in the meantime but that will likely include an option to move into MotoGP if 🐲a seat arises.
But Marquez must confirm his Honda exit before these jigsꦯaw pieces can fall into place.
“I’m convinced 100%. At the last round I was 70-3🐻0 that he’s leavin♛g,” Hodgson said.
“Why has he not announced? Let’s not get confused, it’s easꦺy to be confused. He’s got a contract next season at Honda.
“So we’re here in Japan. He would say ‘stop this speculᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚation, of course I’m staying with t🌌he manufacturer that I’ve been with all my career and won all these titles for’.
“He’s not announced it. Why not? There’s a clear reason why not. Because he’s leaving and he’s going to ride a Ducati🍃 next year.”
James waꦇs a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
