MotoGP: Honda Racing Corporation signs Alex Marquez for 2020
Repsol Honda has hired another MotoGP rookie for 2020 in the form of eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez’s younger brother Alex. This has occurred seven years after Repsol Honda signed Marc Marquez. Title-winning siblings will ride together for Repsol Honda in 2020 after dominating in Moto2 and MotoGP after the Japanese racing team Honda Racing Corporation announced that Alex Marquez will be joining as teammate to Marc after moving from the intermediate class to partner the World Champion Marc Marquez in 2020 for his debut season in the premier class aboard the Honda RC213V.
It will be a family affair in the 2020 season after the triple MotoGP world champion Lorenzo announced his retirement after last weekend’s season-ending race in Valencia. After speculations quickly rippled as to who would take his place, Alex Marquez, brother of the MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez, soon became hotly tipped to take compatriot Lorenzo's seat.
Who is Alex Marquez?
The younger Marquez who made his full-time grand prix debut in Moto3 in 2012 won the class two years later after a season-long duel with Jack Miller. He then stepped up to Moto2 in 2015 with Marc VDS, though struggled in his first two seasons before securing a breakthrough victory in 2017. Although he went on to win 2019 Moto2 crown with a race to spare in Malaysia, and was set to remain in the class with the Belgian outfit before the Honda MotoGP opportunity knocked on the door.
What’s the deal?
In a statement, HRC has said that Alex has signed for an initial one-year deal. While Alberto Puig, Spanish former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and current team manager for the Repsol Honda team in MotoGP has confirmed that Alex will ride the 2019 bike, it is unclear what team Alex will test for today.
“Any rider that wins a world title deserves this type of opportunity. The only factor here is the surname" - Alberto Puig on Alex Marquez's 2020 Repsol Honda deal.
Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) has confirmed that it will field an all-Marquez line-up in 2020, for the first time in history. The 2020 MotoGP season starts in Qatar on March 8.
