Honda hit out at “lies, totally false” €100m Marc Marquez claim

Honda have denied that they tried to tempt Marc Marquez into staying with a huge financial offer.

Marquez has not looked backwards since ending the most lucrative rider contract in MotoGP a year early to join Ducati.

But it was claimed in Spain that Honda made one final attempt to keep him - with a four-year deal worth a total of €100m - which Marquez rejected.

Honda respond to €100m Marc Marquez "lie"

“Lie! Pure lie! It's totally false! Lie,” Honda team boss Alberto Puig told El Periodico.

“Honda never tried to keep Marc with money. Never.

“I repeat: Honda understood that he had to let him go free and so he did.

“Neither Marc asked for anything, nor did Honda demand any consideration. Never. Never.

“The year that Marc had left on his contract was never a problem.

“And, I repeat, there was no offer, that is a lie. Marc didn't want money, he wanted a winning bike.”

After a season on a year-old Ducati, Marquez was promoted to their factory team and has taken 2025 by storm.

He leads the MotoGP standings - and would have an even greater advantage if he didn’t make two costly errors in Texas and Jerez.

“If you add a very, very, very special rider, the result is what we are seeing,” Puig said.

“I don't think there's much debate, or that anyone is surprised by what Marc is doing and how he's doing it.

“You don't have to be a great mathematician to guess something like that.

“When Marc signed for Ducati it was to be at the front, that's why I find it funny when people go crazy comparing data, what if the ‘23, if the ‘24, if the ‘25, what if the ‘24.0.

“I repeat: what everyone knew was going to happen is happening.”

Ducati continue to dominate MotoGP, with the five highest-placed riders.

But sixth is LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco who brilliantly won last weekend’s French MotoGP.

Zarco’s win was a statement that Honda are on their way back.