(Reuters) – Spanish oil company Repsol will no longer sponsor the Honda MotoGP team from next season, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer said on Sunday, bringing the curtains down on the iconic partnership that lasted three decades.
Repsol began sponsoring Honda when they entered Grand Prix racing in 1995 and have since had immense success with several constructor titles and riders championships with greats such as Mick Doohan, Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez.
With Repsol as the principal sponsors, Honda claimed 15 premier class world championships, 10 premier class team championships, 183 premier class wins and 455 premier class podiums.
“After 30 years of collaboration at the highest level of motorcycle racing, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) and Repsol will part ways at the conclusion of the 2024 MotoGP world championship,” Honda said in a statement.
“Honda HRC and Repsol have enjoyed a partnership which has become synonymous with success at the highest level.
“Going beyond sponsorship, it has been a true collaboration between both companies, striving to continue as the reference in Grand Prix motorcycling.”
Honda have had their struggles after Marquez won the last of his six MotoGP titles in 2019, with the Spaniard missing the entire 2020 season following a crash in the opening race.
The team soon fell behind Italian manufacturers Ducati and Aprilia, with Marquez also leaving the team at the end of the 2023 season when he made the switch to Gresini Racing — which uses Ducati machines.
Marquez’s departure also saw Red Bull cut ties with Honda, who have not had a top-10 finish in MotoGP this season from either Joan Mir or Luca Marini.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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