Honda Racing team ends 30-year partnership in MotoGP after winning 19 world titles

Honda has ended its historic 30-year partnership with the Spanish Oil Company Repsol and will join hands with Castrol next year. There have been many speculations about the breakup between Honda and Repsol for many months. Now it has come out in public as Repsol has announced they won't be partnering with the Honda racing team anymore. Repsol is the one to break this deal as they are not willing to sponsor the Honda team after the 2024 season.

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Breakup because of Marquez?

Honda-Repsol deal Breakup is mainly due to their iconic driver Marc Marquez departing the team after a poor season and Honda having an underpowered bike when compared with Ducati. The Spaniard left the Japanese team and joined hands with the Ducati-powered Gresini racing team. Next year he will race for the Ducati Factory racing team.

After Marquez announced he would be joining the Gresini racing team Respol reduced their financial support to the Japanese manufacturer. Honda also moved the Repsol Logo from the front to the underbody. However, the team was still named Repsol Honda as it was a gesture of goodwill by the Japanese brand. 

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They also raced with the iconic Red, Blue and White colours) which represents the Repsol Logo and the Spanish brand. The partnership was first started in the year 1995 and since then they won 19 world titles, 10 constructors titles, and 183 race victories together. In these 30 years, there are a total of 15 riders who raced for the team including MotoGP legends like Mick Doohan, Nicky Hayden, Valentino Rossi, and Marc Marquez.

The space left by the Repsol brand will be filled by the British oil company Castrol from the next season. we could also see a new colour for the Honda team after many decades. Castrol is already a partner of the LCR Honda team which buys engines from Honda with Johann Zarco being their main driver alongside Nakagaami. So Castrol will be sponsoring both the Factory team and the LCR Honda team.

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