Marc Marquez left bemoaning Honda at Valencia MotoGP test: “We need more to fight for championship”
The Spaniard missed much of 2022 as he rehabilitated from a fourth major arm surgery yet was still Honda’s highest-placed rider in the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:MotoGP standings, finishing 13th, after a horro𓃲r year for the team.
Marquez tested Repsol Honda’s prototype bike for next season on Tuesday buꩵt was left frustrated with its lack of improvement, and insisted that unless major steps were taken he would not be able to challenge for a seventh MotoGP champio🧜nship.
“We tried a proto-bike with new aerodynamics and the same♌ engine with a small modification, a different chassis. That’s it,” he explai♈ned.
“There is not a big difference. A bit. But we lose it in a 🎀different area, it’s a compromise.
“In the end, the performance was very similar.
“Of course I expected more but it isn’t there. The important thin🌳g is that Honda is wor⛎king.
“I expec꧒t a big step in February at the next test.
“I expected more because always you want morಞe and more. I cannot say that I’m disappointed because Honda are working, they are trying.
“But we need more i🙈f we want to fight for the championship. Or we will not fight for the championship.
“𒀰We improve one area, we lose in another onꦕe. More or less the same problems.
"We have tဣo work this winter if we want to f☂ight for the title. You don't have to take one step, you have to take two."
Marquez will be joined in the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:2023 MotoGP rider line-up by Joan Mir, who exits Suzuki, while 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Alex Rins will join 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Takaaki Nakagami for the LCR Honda team.
Marquez s🀅aid about his new teammates’ verdicts on the Honda spec: “I saw their comments that they were surprཧised in the beginning! Step by step they are getting better. We know, with this bike, to get race pace is difficult.
“They are part of Honda. It was important for me to get their first impressions. When you ride a bike, you get used to the problem. If you꧂ are talented, you adapt to the problems and you are fast.”
A disappointed Marquez concluded: “I didn’t make many laps today, only for what I needed tꦜo try. That’s it. There was no sense to use the soft tyre or make a time attack. I gave my comments. It🐻 is time for them to work in the winter-time.
“I am🔥 happy because there is a little bit more torque. But only a little. We need a big step if we want to be, not on th🌞e same level, but closer to other manufacturers.”
The next opportunity to test is in February at Sepang, part of the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:2023 MotoGP calendar.
James💦 was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade coverin♎g everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
