Marc Marquez: I'm not an engineer...

The eight-time world champion - winless since Misano 2021 - said he explains the weak points when riding and racing the RC213V, but leaves it to HRC to decide on the technical solutions.

Marquez believes the RCV’s main flaws are “stopping on the brakes and the acceleration side“ but “I don't know if it's the chassis, the aerodynamics, the engine, or a combination of everything.

“This is something that I said already last year - and I keep the same mood [method] - I say [to HRC] where I'm losing, not how to improve. Because I'm not an engineer.

“So I'm trying my best on the track, I'm trying to survive in the races where I suffer, I try to be fast in one lap, I try to find a way to be consistent in the race.

“But then I stop in the box, I say the weak points, where we are losing more, where is worse, and then the engineers must think how to improve.”

The 30-year-old Spaniard spent much of the recent French MotoGP races fighting against Ducatis and KTMs.

“It's so difficult to fight against the others, especially Ducatis, because they overtake you on the straight, [but] you need to overtake on the corners, taking risks, using the tyres more.”

Le Mans, where Marquez finished fifth in the Sprint before crashing out of a podium battle against a pair of Pramac Ducatis late in the grand prix, also saw the race debut of Honda's new Kalex chassis.

“Turning, mid-corner, I prefer my [previous Honda] one. Going in. It's one of my strong points, going in fast. But this doesn't mean it's the fastest way, or a faster way than the other one,” Marquez said of the difference he feels on track.

“It looks like with the Kalex you need to adapt a bit the riding style, you need to go in fast also in the corner, but it's not necessary to push... you can do a few more mistakes. You can go wide, come back.

“With the other [Honda] one, it's so critical, and it's so difficult to understand the front tyre. With this [Kalex] one it looks like you have more warnings, but still we need to understand, because our weak point is still stopping on the brakes and the acceleration side. “

Marquez, who missed three rounds due to a hand fracture at the Portimao season opener, is yet to finish a grand prix race this season. His 12 points to date have come from third (Portimao) and fifth (Le Mans) in the Sprints.

LCR’s Alex Rins, who ended Honda’s 18-month victory drought at COTA, is currently the top Honda rider in tenth overall. Rins’ team-mate Takaaki Nakagami is 17th with Marquez’s new team-mate Joan Mir 21st.

The five grand prix races this season have been won by Ducati (4) and Honda (1), with the Sprint wins divided between Ducati (3) and KTM (2).

Honda is fourth in the constructors’ standings - behind Ducati, KTM and Aprilia, and ahead of only Yamaha.