Marquez’s Misano Mastery and the End of Repsol Honda: Shifts in MotoGP’s Power Dynamics

The closure of the Repsol Honda chapter sparks inquiries about future developments

Discussion topics from Misano revolve around the conclusion of the Repsol Honda partnership

Marc Marquez secured his second win of 2024 by expertly navigating difficult conditions to clinch the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano.

Following a 1043-day hiatus from winning, Marquez marked his return to form at Aragon, and it took merely a week for him to achieve consecutive victories for the first time since 2021.

Following a crash in the qualifying round that resulted in a ninth position start on the grid for the Gresini racer, this outcome has solidified his position as a strong competitor for the championship title.

Sunday turned out to be a tough day for the frontrunner in the championship, Jorge Martin. Despite achieving an impressive victory in a sprint race, a tactical misstep significantly impacted his lead in the points standing, especially against a wounded Francesco Bagnaia.

Franco Morbidelli made a notable comeback, as Fabio Quartararo delivered a solid performance on behalf of Yamaha.

In another part of the competition, Aprilia faced significant challenges during their home race, while Honda's difficult season showed no signs of getting better, especially as it was revealed that their iconic collaboration with Repsol would conclude in 2024.

Here are five insights gained from the 2024 MotoGP event at San Marino.

A significant chapter closes

Breaking news 🚨 After the conclusion of 2024, Repsol has decided against extending their partnership with Honda. A significant chapter comes to a close ❌#MotoGP #SanMarinoGP pic.twitter.com/xNgA3of0a3— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) September 8, 2024

Honda's performance at the San Marino Grand Prix left much to be desired. Both of the main team's riders were absent from Sunday's event due to health reasons. Meanwhile, Johann Zarco, racing for LCR, finished in a disappointing 12th place, realizing that the bike design for 2024 "isn't effective."

Following this disappointing performance, Repsol declared its decision to conclude its title sponsorship with the Honda factory team at the end of the 2024 season.

Speculation has been circulating for some time, and it seemed increasingly likely when HRC unveiled its official colors for 2024, showcasing significantly reduced visibility of the Repsol logo.

This marks the conclusion of a collaboration that began in 1995, a partnership that has achieved significant triumphs, including several world championships with renowned riders such as Mick Doohan, Valentino Rossi, and Marc Marquez.

The oil behemoth from Spain has announced its continued involvement in motorsport, though the specifics of this commitment remain vague. However, the timing of this declaration, coming as it does in close proximity to developments in MotoGP, has sparked curiosity.

Beginning with, the fact that this occurs a year after Marquez left Honda surely isn't just happenstance.

However, considering MotoGP's shift to exclusively use fuels derived from non-fossil sources by 2027, exiting the grand prix racing scene now appears ill-timed, especially without any intentions to collaborate with a different team or manufacturer prior to that deadline.

Ex-teammates experience an uplift

Franco Morbidelli took advantage of his familiarity with the tracks at Misano during the past weekend, marking one of his most successful periods in recent memory.

The Pramac competitor clinched his initial MotoGP win at the Misano circuit in 2020, representing Petronas SRT Yamaha, and has extensively practiced at this location under the guidance of the VR46 Academy.

Lately, Morbidelli has been displaying impressive pace on the Ducati, achieving his first front row start since Spain 2021, where he qualified in second place, just last weekend. He capitalized on this by securing his first podium finish since that same race during the sprint, successfully holding off Bastianini to take third place.

Morbidelli applied significant pressure on his team-mate Martin right from the start of the Grand Prix, showing no restraint even as the rain began, driven by a real belief that he could clinch the victory. However, his ambitions were cut short when he took a tumble at Turn 1 during the seventh lap. Despite this setback, the incident has boosted his confidence, positioning Morbidelli as a competitor to keep an eye on for the upcoming Emilia Romagna GP.

Similar sentiments are shared by ex-Yamaha colleague Fabio Quartararo. The 2021 world champion holds cherished recollections of Misano, where he clinched his title three years prior.

Yamaha recently conducted tests at Misano, but Quartararo believes this did not provide any benefits. Consequently, he directly advanced to Q2 following Friday's practice, secured the 10th position in qualifying, ended up ninth in the sprint race, and achieved a seventh-place finish in the grand prix based on performance.

An updated Yamaha frame improved performance during races, but it wasn't as effective during qualifying rounds.

Finishing in seventh place might not seem impressive for a competitor of Quartararo's caliber, yet it highlights his remarkable ability to excel on a bike that isn't considered competitive, especially when the pressure is on. The fact that his team-mate, Alex Rins, secured only the 20th position on the grid and finished 19th in both races further elevates Quartararo's performance, underscoring his noteworthy skill.

Aprilia faces ongoing challenges

Aprilia experienced one of its most challenging weekends this year in Aragon, with the track's lack of grip causing significant problems for the RS-GP, preventing its riders from leveraging the bike's advantages.

At Misano, a track known for its high grip, it was surprising that the performance didn't align with the bike's expected advantages.

Throughout the Misano event, Aprilia struggled to show competitiveness. Maverick Vinales managed to secure a spot directly in Q2, yet he only achieved 11th place in the qualifiers and finished the race in 16th position. This was due to a grip issue with the medium tires during the race's wet stages, necessitating a change of motorcycle.

Aleix Espargaro, his team-mate, followed suit but ultimately withdrew from the race. The highest-finishing Aprilia was ridden by Miguel Oliveira, who came in 11th on the Trackhouse-operated RS-GP, trailing the winner by 46.3 seconds.

The primary problem plaguing Aprilia's performance in the latest competitions is the lack of clarity from the Italian brand regarding the cause. Despite competing on two distinct circuits, each offering varying grip levels, their results were consistently poor in both instances. This issue comes on the heels of a period where their racers have been losing ground during races, a situation attributed to the motorcycle's inability to maintain tire durability.

As Aprilia gears up for the upcoming race at Misano, the team faces a critical juncture. Should they fail to identify and address their current issues during today's post-race test (9 September), they might struggle at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Marquez, the courageous, turns back time

After his commanding victory at the Aragon GP, Marquez sought to moderate any assumptions of an immediate spree of victories, accurately attributing the unusual track conditions throughout the weekend in Spain as not a true indicator of his overall ranking.

Upon arriving in Misano, his goal was to maintain the momentum he had during the end of the Austrian Grand Prix. He achieved this, demonstrating impressive speed during the Friday practice sessions, suggesting he could be in contention for another podium finish.

An accident during the second qualifying session, which placed him ninth for the start, seemed to have ruined his weekend. However, during the sprint race, he managed to climb up to fifth position, thanks to a bold move on the final lap to pass Tech3's Pedro Acosta. This performance was significantly different from his earlier races at Le Mans and Barcelona, where he impressively fought his way through the pack to secure a spot on the podium.

Facing a challenging grand prix, the uncertain weather conditions turned to his advantage, allowing him to masterfully handle a short period of rainfall. This enabled him to close a five-second gap on Bagnaia, moving from fifth place to take the lead ahead of the Italian between the sixth and eighth laps.

He skillfully controlled the competition to maintain a lead over Bagnaia, delivering the fastest lap of the race on the 20th of 27 laps, effectively diminishing the factory Ducati rider's determination. This display of speed towards the end of the race was what Marquez found most remarkable as he reflected on securing his second consecutive Grand Prix win.

From the beginning, it was evident that his pace positioned him as a leading contender, and the circumstances favored him. It truly seems as though the Marquez we knew before his injury has made a comeback.

He expressed, "The more comfortable I become with my physical capabilities, the better I can maneuver the bike. However, there are areas for improvement, like in Turns 11 and 12, where Pecco dominates; we must figure out how we can at least keep pace with him for the upcoming weekend. I acknowledge that outpacing him might not be possible, but getting closer is the goal. As my confidence grows, I find myself experimenting more with my positioning and speed."

Martin's tactical mistake provides Bagnaia an opportunity for recovery

Despite not being in peak condition for his local competition due to a previous altercation with Alex Marquez at Aragon, Bagnaia excelled by leading the practice session on Friday, demonstrating impressive speed during the race, and establishing a new lap record to secure the pole position.

He stumbled at the beginning of the race, causing Martin to leapfrog from fourth position to first as they rounded the initial bend. Throughout the race, Martin remained unchallenged, with the turbulent air from his Pramac Ducati being a significant factor in an irate Bagnaia's inability to overtake.

Martin extended his lead over Bagnaia by 26 points, further exacerbating Bagnaia's difficult weekend at Aragon. At the start of the grand prix, Bagnaia initially had the upper hand, but Martin quickly began to pressure him before the onset of rain.

With extensive practice at Misano through the VR46 Academy, Bagnaia is deeply familiar with the circuit, particularly in recognizing the right moment to switch tyres based on the track's wetness. He, along with his Ducati teammate Enea Bastianini, who is also well-acquainted with the track, observed that they could sense the conditions weren't suitable for a tyre change.

Martin, who was in second place when the heaviest rain hit on the seventh lap, decided to switch to his rain bike. A total of six riders made the same choice, and all would need to navigate through the pitlane once more to change back to their bikes suited for dry conditions.

The Pramac competitor subsequently clarified that he just made a risky decision that ultimately didn't work out. He believed the rain was severe enough to justify a switch, and witnessing his teammate Franco Morbidelli crash behind him likely shook him up a bit.

Martin secured a position in 15th place, despite being a lap down. However, in a championship as closely contested as this one, adopting a strategy that diverges from that of your main competitor often proves unwise. This isn't the first instance of Martin taking such an approach; he previously chose a differing tyre strategy in Australia the previous year, which resulted in him relinquishing the lead in a race he had dominated for a significant portion.

Bagnaia's mistake at Misano has narrowed his lead in the championship to just seven points. As a second race at Misano approaches, and with Bagnaia expected to be in top form, Martin might struggle to maintain his lead in the championship standings.

As Marquez narrows the gap to just 53 points behind Martin, the tension escalates for both the Pramac competitor and Bagnaia as they head into the last seven races of the season.

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