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The double MotoGP podium finisher was the one Honda rider to get the tough RC213V to a rostrum in his rookie yr in 2020 when he was with the manufacturing facility squad, however struggled to copy this with LCR in 2021 and 2022.
With simply two prime eight finishes to his credit score in 2022 on the Honda, Marquez elected to maneuver to the Gresini Ducati squad for 2023 and felt “instantly at house” on the bike in final November’s one-day Valencia take a look at.
Ending February’s Sepang take a look at ninth general forward of all Honda riders, Marquez says his time at Honda made him typically query that he “possibly forgot the way to journey a motorbike”.
“After all,” Marquez replied when requested if he doubted himself over the last two years at Honda.
“Sure, I had some query marks however I by no means doubted that I might be quick.
“However in some moments, you’re feeling like ‘okay, possibly I forgot the way to journey a motorbike’.
“It was actually robust moments, however I believe these robust moments will assist me sooner or later to be stronger and be a greater rider.”
Alex Marquez endured some robust instances at LCR Honda
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Honda’s Sepang take a look at revealed that the 2023 bike is still far from competitive, with Marquez saying it’s “not a shock” to see his former producer the place it at the moment is within the pecking order.
“Yeah, I imply, to see them the place they’re shouldn’t be a shock as a result of I do know kind of what’s going on,” he mentioned of ending forward of Honda on the take a look at.
“It’s not some extent that you would be able to change [quickly]. They may want time.
“They go on with new individuals and all this, however the brand new individuals can not change issues like this. They want time, nevertheless it’s higher to be in entrance of them!”
Ducati fields eight bikes at the moment in MotoGP, and although Marquez isn’t on a manufacturing facility contract or driving full works equipment in 2023 (he’ll race the title-winning 2022 bundle), he notes that the Italian marque nonetheless works intently with him and Gresini.
“It’s good,” Marquez mentioned of Ducati’s working technique.
“I imply, they’ve all of the riders in consideration, and that is good.
“They hearken to you and provide you with a number of suggestions. For me, I’m new and it’s the primary actual take a look at that I do with this bike, it’s actually vital to have the guidelines and the recommendations that in addition they have for the technical aspect.
“They handed by all of the containers day-after-day [at the test] and took notes. So, it’s one other mentality of working.”
A key grievance Marquez had of Honda final yr was that he didn’t really feel HRC valued his suggestions typically when it got here to bike improvement.
