The situation for Honda and also for Marc Marquez is not easy, the Sepang test represents a crucial moment for making decisions and directing the way for the development of the 2023 bike. After the second day of testing, the rider from Cervera was only able to complete 36 laps (compared to 58 on Friday) finishing in 13th position in the times classification (1’59”450) seven tenths from the reference of the day, Jorge Martin.
The eight-time world champion announced that he had already discarded one of the three bikes that Honda had brought to these tests. Marc will now focus on two prototypes, leaving aside the third bike which was designed with a slightly different concept, a kind of experiment that doesn’t allow for a comparison with the other two. This makes it impossible to work on two different areas, even if the bike rejected today can come back later as a test bed.
“We only did 25 dry laps today, but they were enough to test all the new bikes, only that we’ve already discarded one,” Marc announced at the end of the day talking about the unit he only did one time with. out at the end of the first day. Now the work in the Repsol Honda box is concentrated on two bikes and this reduces the choice to 50%.
Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team
Photo by: MotoGP
“The choice of bike will be made on the last day of pre-season testing in Portimao. We’re spending a lot of time making comparisons. It is obvious that we continue to be far from the fastest”, he underlined, clearly implying that optimism is not reigning in the garage at the moment. On the criterion for choosing the bike, Marc explains the logic: “I make my comments and Honda will decide”.
After two days of testing, the combined classification of the times of the two days places Marc in 18th position just ahead of his new teammate Joan Mir. “At the moment we are not in a position to be able to fight for the top five, but I have faith in Honda and I hope we can take a step forward here and another one in Portugal. We are on the second day of the pre-season,” he said keeping his composure.
One of the points that Honda clings to to restart is the arrival of the new technical director, Ken Kawauchi. “He has new ideas, he comes from Suzuki,” Marc said. “The method of working with Kawauchi has changed a bit, we tried things that we already tested last year, but he wants to see with his eyes what happens,” he explained.
Finally, the Catalan explained what they are focusing on in order to make the RC213V competitive again: “I suffer a bit with the front, but I struggle in the first phase of acceleration, at the first touch of the gas. This is what Ducati does best. Then the engine is powerful, we have enough horsepower, but what we need to achieve is that this power is more efficient”.
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