Marquez talks Pedrosa, Stoner data

MotoGP star rookie Marc Marquez was quick to admit that he learns from team-mate Dani Pedrosa's data - and that of Repsol Honda predecessor Casey Stoner.

But the Moto2 champion added that differences in riding style mean he must follow his own path in terms of bike set-up.

Following the Mugello round, when Marquez fell shortly after overtaking Pedrosa for second place, Pedrosa was quoted as saying that Marquez had improved traction for the race by adopting his settings.

Speaking at Catalunya on Friday evening, Marquez insisted that the only relevant comparisons are in terms of riding technique.

"For data, I compare with [Pedrosa] after every practice because I know [where] example he is much faster," Marquez said.

"But about the set-up we don't compare, because in the end we have different riding styles.

"In the pre-season tests at Sepang and Jerez I tried his set-up, but I was not able to ride with that set-up."

Asked to give some examples of how he uses the data, the Austin race winner explained:

"Sometimes I also compare with the laps of Casey, from last year. Especially on the Friday is where I compare the data more. On the Saturday it is less.

"On the Friday it helps me because you can see a little bit if he goes in to the corners faster, stops the bike more, opens the gas more or less than me. Sometimes I open the gas too much, I have too much spin and the bike does not push [drive forward].

"So all of those things I try to compare to him, but that is the normal way."

Marquez was sixth fastest on Friday for his home round, but pleased by the progress made between the two track sessions - having never ridden an RCV at the Catalunya circuit before.

"In the beginning it was a little bit difficult but in the afternoon I felt good. We started with the same bike as Mugello, but in the first practice we were struggling quite a lot so we changed many things and made it much better.

"In first practice we were 1.2s behind and in second practice it was half a second. That is most important and I hope to continue in that way tomorrow.

"The first sector is similar to Mugello, then T2 and T4 there are long corners where we are struggling bit more Not just set-up but my riding styles and lines. It is difficult when you ride alone. But we know more or less the problem."

The 20-year-old added that his physical condition was now "perfect", having been left battered and bruised by a main straight fall on Friday at Mugello.

Title leader Pedrosa was third fastest in Friday practice.