Marquez: ‘Not a surprise’ to see Honda struggle, ‘better to be in front’

While Ducati topped all three days of MotoGP testing at Sepang, Honda were unable to finish any higher than eighth which Alex Rins managed to produce on day two.

Since winning the title with Marc Marquez in 2019, Honda have won just three races which again came at the hands of Marquez in 2021.

• Rins: “I don’t want to make the Honda a Suzuki”, still without ‘base set-up’ 
• Vinales: ‘The way I controlled the spin was excellent’ - main threat to Ducati?

So while it’s clear that Honda, who have been struggling to match their competition ever since Marquez got injured at Jerez in 2020, need time to turn themselves back into a consistent challenger for wins and titles, the younger of the two Marquez borthers is much happier with his current position after impressing for Gresini Ducati.

"To see them where they are is not a surprise because I know more-or-less what they have going on," said Marquez. "It’s not a point that you can change like this. 

"They need time and they have new people, but the new people cannot change things like this [clicks fingers]. They need time but it’s better to be in front [laughs], honestly."

Although Ducati have a plethora of bikes and riders to choose from, including the current world champion Francesco Bagnaia, Marquez was quick to confirm that every rider is considered by hierarchy when it comes to testing new parts and giving equal opportunity for success.

On the subject of working with Ducati mastermind Luigi Dall’Igna and others, Marquez added: "It’s nice! They have all the riders in consideration which is good. They listen to you, they give to you a lot of tips and for me, who is new, it is really important to have the team [behind you] and all the technical suggestions from their side."

Ducati having a more balanced bike than any other manufacturer is clear to see from their performance towards the end of 2022, but especially during pre-season.

Seven Ducatis inside the top nine on day three highlights just that, and while Marquez is on the Desmosedici GP-22 bike as opposed to the newest machinery out there, the combination of its braking prowess, front and rear, is a huge step compared to what he experienced at Honda.  

Marquez said: "It’s not just braking on the rear, it’s about taking profit from the rear. We brake with the front and put a lot of pressure on the front, but if you have a good rear then you can take more profit and you can stress less the front. 

"You can also brake later. It’s that combination I need to understand [more] and also I tried one set-up for that reason which was a little bit better but for some reason too much was on the front. 

"In Portimao we will maybe try to put my position more on the back to have my weight more on the back to take more profit from that. 

"The other points I understand quite well. I’m happy with the gas, how to pick up and manage the electronics."