The last day of testing has been more productive than expected for Marc Márquez, although he assures that he is still a long way from the leading drivers. The Catalan prefers to remain calm after finishing today in 14th place, eight tenths behind Pecco Bagania, on a day in which he has advanced in the settings of the 2023 RC213V with a view to the Portuguese Grand Prix.
The man from Honda has recognized that today he has put on the track the configuration that has given him the best result in the preseason and has focused on “polish details”. In this sense, the feelings he has had about the RC213V have been positive, focusing on the sprint race simulation: “I think we have done a full day, we have made progress and I am happy, and it is the day that I have felt better with what we have. When you feel good you can do a long run of 12 laps, already simulating a sprint race like the one that will take place on Saturday to get into rhythm. And it hasn’t been all bad, I think It has been quite good, although far from the four or five in front”.
The Repsol Honda Team rider stated that it was a day in which he had to work long runs to continue learning the secrets of this year’s bike: “Yes, I have been constant, I have been able to understand how to go fast and how not; if he could push more or not and where to make the time. But it is true, that one thing is to understand what you need, the other is that they are putting a few tenths per lap. That’s where you don’t have to stress, focus on yours, get your rhythm”.
The last day has been productive to find a good feeling with the members of the team, recovering some sensations that I had not had for several months: “Yes, except the chassis is the same (to the Valencia motorcycle). But today I have focused more on testing things with the team. I had worked a lot these days testing many things and I asked the Japanese engineers what we needed one day for me, for the team, for Santi and to understand little things. And today we have taken several steps simply to fine-tune”.
Joan Mir’s teammate has acknowledged not “We are where we want to be, we are far away in rhythm, but now you do not gain anything by doing bad blood”. For this reason, he prefers to read positively and maintain concentration for the following days: “You have to try to get the most out of the situation you have and anything can happen. Obviously, if you go like Bagnaia it’s easier for good things to happen, but we started the season with enthusiasm and enthusiasm”.
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Finally, the #93 has assured that he is optimistic for the start of the World Cup, but it depends especially on the conditions that prevail that weekend: “If tomorrow were the race we would be from five to ten, but we will see the weekend of a Grand Prix, because it is very different from a test, where there is less rubber, the track slips more… How many times have you seen very fast riders in pre-season and then not. And backwards. Logically, if you go fast these days you have a better chance of being in front ”, concluded Marc Márquez.