In one of the biggest rider market shocks in years, eight-time world champion Marquez elected to quit Honda after 11 seasons and six MotoGP world titles to join the satellite Gresini Ducati squad for 2024.
MORE: The “killer” instinct driving Marquez beyond the end of a MotoGP dynasty
Marquez broke his contract with Honda to do so, which is reportedly costing him around €15 million, but said at the time of the announcement of his Gresini move that he needed to do it to understand whether or not he can still be competitive.
He made his Ducati debut on 28 November at the post-season Valencia test and was immediately quick, ending the day fourth fastest and just 0.171s off the pace.
Marquez is forbidden from speaking about Ducati until 1 January when his contract with Honda has officially expired, though in a leaked Sky Sports Italy video he was caught on camera noting that the GP23 is much less physical than the RC213V.
MORE: The factors that show Marquez’s Ducati debut was a genuine success
In an exclusive interview with Autosport during the Qatar GP weekend, Marquez admits “it’s a possibility” that his Ducati move won’t work and he will accept criticism if it doesn’t.
“Yeah, of course it’s a possibility and of course I have some doubts,” he told Autosport in early November, when asked if he was scared his move could go wrong.
“Even now that I’ve taken the decision, I have doubts. And it’s a possibility that it doesn’t work.
“But in the end, when I retire someday, I will retire quiet because I tried everything in my career. And I did what I feel [was right].
“And if I stayed at Honda and I stayed shy [saying] ‘no, I will not do this because if it’s not successful everybody will push me’.
“Ok, I accept if it’s not a successful move. I will accept the criticism and I will accept all these things.
“But at least I will retire in a quiet way because I will try everything.
“I am like this. My comfort zone was to stay in Honda, and 95% of riders would have stayed at Honda.
“Why? Big salary, no pressure, now I will develop the bike, [saying] ‘ok, this race was not good because we are developing the bike’.
“[Staying] was easy. But I’m not like this. I’m a winner and I’m a killer and I will try to do my best to try to fight at the top.”
Marquez’s Gresini garage was swarmed by media ahead of his first run on the Ducati in the Valencia test.
When asked by Autosport in the same interview if he was feeling the most pressure ever ahead of a new season, he said: “My work is to try to forget, or try to move, or try to be inside myself to forget all that expectation.
“I know some people have big expectations and some people say I will win every race, and some people say it will be a disaster.
“In the end, I already say on the day we announced and I repeat that I cannot create any expectations without trying the bike.
“But for me the main target right now is to try to enjoy again on the track, because if I enjoy it again I can elongate my career.
“If I don’t enjoy it, I will not be in my career [much] longer. So, this is the main target.
“Then, when I will try the bike in Valencia, when I do the pre-season in Malaysia, then I will understand where I am.
“But it will be difficult and will be a very nice challenge for myself, to adapt my riding style of 11 years in one type of bike to another one.
“So, I will try to do my best of course, and I believe I am in a very good team that is what I’m looking for – a familial team. Maybe not the biggest team, but a familial team and trying to work and trying to enjoy again what is racing.”
Marquez underwent a successful surgery after the Valencia test on an arm pump issue he had concealed, but which had been bothering him throughout the second half of the season.
