“Red Bull is pushing for Pedro Acosta,” Óscar Haro warns Marc Márquez amidst Honda exit speculations

"Little war" brewing at Honda as Marc Márquez's former manager eyes his seat for Pedro Acosta

“Red Bull is pushing for Pedro Acosta,” Óscar Haro warns Marc Márquez amidst Honda exit speculations

Marc Marquez. Red Bull rider (Credits: MotoGP)

After a difficult start to the season for Repsol Honda, rumors are circulating that the team’s Spanish rider, Marc Márquez, could be pushed out. The former Red Bull champion, Márquez, scored a pole in Portimao and finished third in the inaugural sprint race in Portugal but crashed into Miguel Oliveira’s Aprilia in the primary race, ruling out both drivers for the Argentinian Grand Prix. Oscar Haro hints the speculations might come true as Red Bull is pushing for Pedro Acosta.

However, it appears that Márquez’s potential departure from the team may not just be due to performance issues. In an interview with the YouTube channel SportAction/Paddock TV, Óscar Haro revealed that Márquez’s former manager, Emilio Alzamora, may be looking to make a “little war” on Márquez and has offered to manage Pedro Acosta, a rising star in Moto2, and help him land a spot at Honda, potentially taking Márquez’s bike. 

“In Spain, it is said that Márquez is very angry with Honda and that Red Bull is pushing for the bike that in theory, Acosta should land in MotoGP – a KTM – to give it to Márquez. And put Acosta on Márquez’s bike at HRC,” the ex-LCR Honda sporting director. added.“This is what the journalists talked about, also with me – I didn’t know anything, but they said everything. It would be a beautiful story, Márquez’s former manager helping Acosta by putting him on Honda and Márquez on KTM.” This plot could be seen as a move by Alzamora to get back at Márquez after their split.

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Honda’s decision to give Marc Márquez’s frame to Alex Rins fuels the rumors 

Pedro Acosta, Marc Marquez
Pedro Acosta, Marc Marquez (Credits: Visordown)

According to Haro, Márquez had found a frame with a more rear grip that he liked and raced with it in Portugal, where he finished third in the inaugural sprint race. However, Honda decided to give that frame to Rins after Stefan Bradl would not race at Termas de Río Hondo. Rins also liked the frame and wants one like it, which Haro believes will upset Márquez.

“I don’t think he was very excited or happy that they allowed Álex Rins try out his frame and fork,” Haro said. “As Honda decided that Stefan Bradl would not race at Termas de Río Hondo, they made the decision to give this frame to Álex Rins. Álex Rins liked it; the problem is that Álex Rins now wants a frame like that and Marc will not be very happy that Álex Rins tried it.”

The rumors have been swirling since Márquez’s crash with Miguel Oliveira’s Aprilia in the Portugal main race and Acosta’s signing. The crash ruled both drivers out of the Argentinian Grand Prix, and Márquez underwent surgery to repair the broken first metacarpal in his right hand. The Repsol Honda team has elected Márquez to miss the next round of the World Championship. 

Márquez has been riding for Red Bull since his MotoGP debut in 2013. The current agreement between Márquez and Honda runs through 2024, if the rumors are true, Márquez may not stay with the team for much longer. As the season continues, it remains to be seen how the situation with Marquez will play out. Will he remain with Repsol Honda and fight for another championship, or will he be pushed out of the team and forced to look elsewhere for his future in MotoGP? Only time will tell, he currently stands 16th in the standings, is Honda is going through a difficult time this season. 

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