As India joins the list of nations hosting a MotoGP World Championship round, the excitement is building for Round 13 at the Buddh International Circuit, where the Repsol Honda Team duo of Marc Marquez and Joan Mir eagerly anticipate meeting their Indian supporters in person.
The Buddh International Circuit, spanning 4.96 kilometres, promises to deliver another thrilling round of racing, featuring a combination of long straights, tight hairpin turns, and technical sections that offer various opportunities for overtaking.
For Marc Marquez, known for his quick adaptability, the goal is to swiftly familiarize himself with the 13 corners of the Buddh International Circuit. Marquez comes to India following a progressive weekend in Italy, where he secured a seventh-place finish, demonstrating consistent improvement throughout the season.
With a new track to master, the team’s efforts during the weekend will need to strike a balance between learning the circuit and continuing to refine the Honda RC213V.
Marquez expressed his excitement about connecting with Indian fans, saying, “I am really excited to meet all of the fans in India. It’s always a nice moment when we bring MotoGP to a new country, new people, and new fans to share our sport and our passion. We will need to work a lot to understand everything about the track and our own situation with the bike. The objective is to put together another weekend like Misano, build over each day, and have a good pair of races. Let’s get ready for India and to meet everyone!”
On the other side of the garage, Joan Mir is hoping that the change in venue will bring about a change in fortunes following a challenging conclusion to the San Marino GP. Despite the difficulties, Mir managed to make progress in improving his comfort with the Honda RC213V.
For Mir, more time on the track and with the bike will be crucial in maintaining this positive trend. The intensive schedule at the end of the year will provide him with the opportunity to achieve this.
“Visiting a new place is always really exciting; you see a lot on social media how many fans there are from India, so I think it’s really important and great to go see them. The track itself looks like it will be interesting with a lot of different elements. There are many things to understand when you go to a new circuit, so it’s important to do every step well, from walking the track when we arrive to making the most of every session on track.”
The weekend in India is poised to make history, and fans won’t have to wait long for the next dose of MotoGP action as the paddock will head directly to Japan for Honda’s home race, the Japanese GP.
