The beginning of 2022 was certainly not what Marc Marquez would have hoped for. The eight-time world champion not only had to deal with a relapse of his diplopia problem (double vision) after the Mandalika accident, but is struggling to find the feeling with the new Honda RC213V, so for now his best result is fifth place in the opening race in Qatar, followed by two sixth places in Austin and Portimao. The hope therefore is to be able to find a turning point in Jerez, even if it will not be easy.
“In Portimao we were too far from the podium and from the win even though we finished sixth. We are suffering a lot, especially in the race, but we will try to find a way to be faster here in Jerez. We already have some ideas to try, not only for the bike, because I have to improve also from a personal point of view. We will see how the free practice 1 goes then we will begin to understand what kind of weekend we can have “, said Marc during the press conference that opened the Spanish Grand Prix.
His gap from the top of the World Championship is 37 points, so it is not yet prohibitive to recover. When asked if he sees himself capable of entering the fight, however, he was very cautious, above all because the bike seems to struggle on the tightest circuits, therefore on those built with European standards.
“It’s a big question mark. It’s true that it’s a bike on larger circuits, like Sepang or Lusail, it works very well. Then when we get to smaller circuits, then we struggle a lot and we need to understand why. We don’t know if the solution is right. whether near or far, but the potential is there. We need to find ways to exploit it. “
Lately we hear more and more the riders of the premier class underline the difficulties that can be encountered in overtaking. A factor that could be even heavier in Andalusia.
“Jerez is a short, narrow and cramped track, but on the flying lap they are all very close. On the race pace, however, there are always clear distances, moreover it is a track on which it is very difficult to overcome. it will be even more, so normally when you take a position in the race, then you keep it “.
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
On Monday there will also be a day of collective tests, but Marc stressed that for him and for Honda the work in this sense will start already from the weekend: “My Monday test starts tomorrow, because we will start testing some things. We still have to find a base, while the others are fighting for the championship because they have already found it. We will have to start trying new things after we have found a base that gives us a good feeling. “
And speaking of tests, today is the news that for next season the pre-season matches will be reduced to just six. A choice that has puzzled several colleagues, but that # 93 seems to support.
“If you have a good package right away, those days are enough. Indeed, in this case even just one would be enough and you could already go racing from the second day. If for some reason you have some problems, or the material does not work as the team does. he waited, I think there is still a sufficient margin, because in the end you can look for the setting of the bike “.
“The engine you will try on the first day of testing will not be so different from that of the last. With the frame and the swingarms you can work even during the season, so I agree, because you can’t keep the same number of days. of tests if the number of races increases. We need to find a balance “.
Finally, he was asked for a comment on Jorge Lorenzo, his rival but also his box mate in 2019, who will be officially included in the MotoGP Legends on Saturday.
“He’s a great driver, a champion. He had a very strong personality and he was really strong. When he managed to find the ideal conditions he was almost unbeatable and he drove in an incredible way. I have a lot of respect, because I learned so many things by fighting with Jorge. But it is impossible to rank the greatest, because every rider races in his time and when Lorenzo was at the top he was really fast, he had great consistency and a very strong personality. “
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