Marc Marquez delivers intriguing money admission about Gresini move
It has since emerged that Red Bull are set to end their sponsorship of Repsol Honda, due to 🌟Marquez’s exit, and Gresini could benefit from the spon𒀰sors he brings.
Marquez has now given further details about h🧸is money situation next year at one of MotoGP’s smaller teams, after voluntarily ending a Honda contract which made him by far t🧔he highest-paid rider in the sport.
He was asked if he knows any other sportsperson who has given up such huge sums of money, and he replied to : “I can't thi🍎nk of anyone who has done something like that, but I'm sure there are some.
“Obviously money is important to everyone, anꦬd anyone who says no is lying, but it has never been my ဣnumber one priority.
“Look, I live an 🎃hour and a quarter from Andorra…”
Nine years ago Marquez attracted criticism in hi🌄s native Spain for moving to live in neighbouring Andorra. The accusation was that he was taking advantage of th♈e generous tax laws.
But he didn’t stay lo🐠ng, and is now based in Madrid.
“I was very young. And I had a house in Andorra for three or four yeꦯars,”ꦍ he said.
“In fact, this wiꦚnter, if I am physically well, I will go to Andorra and I no longer have a house there, because I couldn't use it due to injuries and I sold it, but I will go to a hotel for a few days.
“I have the Pyrenees r🌳ight next to me and I li☂ke them.
“If it were for money, I wouldಞ have already gone to live there.”
He was asked if he benefited from tax advantages in Madrid: “Yes, 𓃲but if I did it for that reason, I would go to Andorra, which is an hour and a half from home.
“Getting back to 🎶giving up so much money, 𒉰I'm in a different position right now.
“During these years, I have been lucky that everything has gone well for me in a🉐ll aspects and for me it is no longer a priority.
“Although next year, I tell yo𝓀u, I will continue to be one of the highest paid on the grid.”
Asked about whethꦐer his lucrative sponsors would follow him into the Gresini garage, Marquez said: “Right now I am investing in my sports career, to be happy, to smile again under the helmet and to continue it for ma🧸ny more years.
“For me this is an investment.”
Marquez previously told us exclusively𒁃 that rumours he would ride at🐽 Gresini for free were incorrect.
“No, it’s not true,” he said. “I never go [into details] on that aspect because, as you know, nobody really knows what my salary is now at Honda. Nobody knows. I’ve heard many numbers, but nobody knows exactly. But nex𒐪t year still I will be super happy with what 🐠I have.
“Sometimes in your life, but always in my career, my main priority was the riding performance. Not the money. Money always is important. And if somebody says it isn’t, they will be lying. But sometimes you need to believe in yours🍒elf and follow what you feel.
“In my career always my main priority, even my lifestyle at home and here at the circuit, is to try to find the best to perform in the be♉st way at the racetrack. It’s true that I have the highest salary in MotoGP but I’m happy with what I will have next year.”
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports🅘 for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
