Will the six-time premier class champ be fit to fight for the title in 2023…?

Marc Marquez readying for 2023

These images show Marc Marquez training recently at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre, situated in the shadow of the Eastern Alps, on the secluded outskirts of Thalgau.

The work ethic of the now 29-year-old has never been doubted and it is clear to see how hard he has been working in the lead up to the 2023 MotoGP season.

A too early return to competition has cruelled his potential this past couple of seasons but it remains clear that he is the force that his rivals most fear, when fit…

Marc Marquez won the 125 Championship in 2010, the Moto2 Championship in 2012, then in 2013 won the MotoGP title on his first attempt. He backed that up in 2014 but failed to retain the #1 plate in 2015 after failing to score points in six of the 18 rounds, Jorge Lorenzo winning the title that year for Yamaha.

Marquez then bounced back to win four championships in a row, 2016-17-18-19. However, a crash at the Spanish Grand Prix in 2020 changed Marquez forever and the Spaniard has not completed a full season since that crash.

In June of last year Marquez underwent an operation whereby his humerous was cut and rotated 30-degrees. A truly horrific prospect but seemingly the only last real hope of enabling Marquez to ride a motorcycle like he once did.

Towards the end of season 2022 when he returned to competition signs were positive. He took his first pole position in three years at a wet Motegi, and was on the podium at Phillip Island for his 100th premier class podium, and that came 357 days after his last.

After essentially missing half the season, Marquez was the highest finishing Honda rider in the 2022 MotoGP World Championship in what was disastrous year for HRC.

We are yet to see if Honda have made the RC213V a more potent and well balanced weapon to go to war with, but they are fronting up with a much changed line-up in 2023.

Marquez and Nakagami remain on Honda, and are joined by ex Suzuki riders Joan Mir and Alex Rins.

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Not only that, but former Suzuki Techincal Director Ken Kawauchi is coming along with them to replace Takeo Yokoyama as Technical Manager at HRC. There has also been major shuffle in regards to crew chiefs.

With these changes happening recently it is fair to expect that few fundamentals would have changed in regards to the RC213V itself, but these are some major changes that Honda obviously hope will put their MotoGP program back on the right course.

It is highly unlikely that any changes of heading will come quick enough for Marquez and his fellow Honda combatants to have a machine that is on par with the likes of Ducati, but as we have seen so many times before, Marquez can work miracles on a motorcycle like no other…

2023 MotoGP Calendar

1. March 26 – Portugal, Portimao
2. April 2 – Argentina, Termos de Rio Honda
3. April 16 – Americas, COTA
4. April 30 – Spain, Jerez
5. May 14 – France, Le Mans
6. June 11 – Italy, Mugello
7. June 18 – Germany, Sachsenring
8. June 25 – Netherlands, Assen
9. July 9 – Kazakhstan, Sokol (Subject to homologation)
10. August 6 – Great Britain, Silverstone
11. August 20 – Austria, Red Bull Ring
12. September 3 – Catalunya, Catalunya
13. September 10 – San Marino, Misano
14. September 24 – India, Buddh (Subject to homologation)
15. October 1 – Japan, Motegi
16. October 15 – Indonesia, Mandalika
17. October 22 – Australia, Phillip Island
18. October 29 – Thailand, Chang
19. November 12 – Malaysia, Sepang
20. November 19 – Qatar, Lusail
21. November 26 – Valenciana, Valencia

MotoGP 2023 Rider Entry List