The Marquez Pendulum Swings Towards Gresini

And it may never swing back..

The pendulum that swings back and forth between Repsol Honda and Gresini Ducati in predicting the future of Marc Marquez, has once again swung back towards the Italian team.

Usually its momentum is dictated by Marc himself, week to week, race to race. An interview comment, his attitude during a press conference, a cheeky social media post. Marc has masterfully kept journalists, pundits, and the MotoGP public chasing their tales in attempting to decipher the clues in front of them, and predict his ultimate destination.

This weekend in Motegi was no different. Marc’s post race comment describing his podium in the wet at his current teams home grand prix as '“romantic” certainly was enough to swing that pendulum back towards him leaving the team at the end of the season.

Now usually the pendulum swings between 60-40 to either side of Marc’s potential futures, but this weekend for the first time, that pendulum was helped beyond it’s normal metronomic swing. Nudged further in the direction of Ducati.. By Ducati. This weekend was the first time that someone from Ducati has admitted publicly that Marc has suggested to them that he wants to leave Honda, and ride a Ducati next season. That someone was none other than Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall'Igna.

Dall'Igna stated, “The fact that he strongly wants to get on a Ducati can only be pleasing. He has decided to leave Honda for an unofficial Ducati”, while also suggesting that the only stumbling block is the legal complications of Marc breaking his Honda contract. Now I don’t know about you, but to me this sounds like a guy who knows something we don’t. Dall'Igna then seemed to try and soften the claim by adding, “This is what I heard, but clearly there isn't an official announcement yet.” Nice try, Gigi.

These comments sound to me like the pendulum has been pushed passed its usual 60-40 swing to about an 80-20, and from here it may not swing back. Motegi was supposed to be Honda’s last chance to convince Marquez to stay, with a rumoured meeting at Honda HQ with top Honda officials. Maybe Honda couldn’t give Marc the assurances he was seeking to stay. Maybe he had already decided anyway. Either way I don’t think any of us are too far away from knowing Marc’s future anymore.