Marc Marquez after MotoGP Sepang test: “Don’t infect engineers with ideas - I was not asking…”
Marquez was 10th-fastest on Sunday, the final day of the preseason test in Malaysia, where he whittled down from four bikes to his preferred one but insisted that his team must make su🃏bstantial progress before he can fight for the championship.
He insisted that his physical condition is far better than the past two prese𒁃asons - during his injury-ravaged two year spell - but has called on Honda to use the u🍃pcoming Portimao test to finalise any remaining issues.
“A new technical manager arrived at HRC, and he wants to understand many things about concept,” Mar༒quez explained on Sunday.
“I don’t knowꦍ why but they want to know. They have their reason. I was not asking, I wa🐟s just riding.
“This makes life very difficult for a rider at a test! The peꦑrson at Honda with the most experience is me, so they chose me to try all these experimental things.
“The bike balance was different. It was much more physical. But I hope it was useful fo💙r them.
“Sometimes as a rider it is important to give feedback. But only feedback. Don’t in🧜fect the engineers with your ideas about chassis, concept,ꦅ and all these things.
“When I was riding well the🍃 lap times were not bad, but still far from the top five guys.
“I am happier about my p𝓡hysical cond🐟ition than the bike.”
Marquez is see♔king a seventh premier class championship this year, hoping his injury troubles are a thing of the past.
He had criticised the prototype Repsol Honda mac🅰hinery at the postseason Valencia test last year but has explained their progress in Sepang.
“Alwa♚ys you want more, more, more,” he said. “But I must congratulate the team༺ for organising in a very good way.
“Physicall✃y I feel really good and, for me, this is the most important thing. I understand when I want to be fast, when I want to be slower.
“In t𒁏he past two year✅s this was impossible because my physical condition was not good.
“We started the test with four bikes, then three bikes, today two bikes, and in the afternoon just one bike. I havꦍe decided ‘this is the bike’.
“But it isn’t the bike I need to win the championship. I need anot🐟her step.
“I felt more potential with one bike than the other, to do different things. From a riding style, the one that I chose, I fee෴l better with.”
The Portimao test is the final opportunity for Marquez and Honda to iron out their problems before h🎉is assault on the championship begins♚ again.
“We don’t have time t🐷𒆙o bring three bikes,” Marquez said about the Portimao test. “It is important to choose one direction, one bike.
“It is the same as the Valencia bike, ꦉsame concept, same problems. Now is the time to fix problems. I don’t know how. I just give my comments.”
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a d🐓ecade coverin♒g everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
