After three days of testing at Sepang where he did not notice any miracle on the theme of the technical evolution carried out on the Honda RC213V by the HRC, Marc Marquez is back in Europe. Large demonstrations await him and before the presentation of his series “Marc Marquez All In” among his fans after a road trip in the streets of Madrid, and before the official presentation of the Repsol team in the same capital, he honored with its presence the centenary gala of its Spanish motorcycle federation (RFME). He even spoke there, not hiding the subject of the 2023 MotoGP season which awaits him. He expressed himself there as if driven by the energy of despair…
While the two Italian manufacturers Ducati and Aprilia displayed their power, literally and figuratively, for three days on a Sepang track dedicated to testing preparing for this year's MotoGP season, Honda, which it must be remembered is the world's leading manufacturer, was still looking for ways to approach this future competition. The new project manager Ken Kawauchi went far in prospecting the fundamentals to understand the state in which the HRC house really was. Marc Marquez reviewed a lot of things, including an RC213V without fins…
We will remember that when leaving the Malaysia, the eight-time World Champion had indicated that he had chosen by default one of the four motorcycles made available to him. He would have said that among all evils he had chosen the least that he would not have done it otherwise because he pointed out that it would not be with this opus that he would play the title.
Since then, the days have passed and both Europe and Madrid have regained some semblance of morale. Addressing his compatriots, the six-time world champion MotoGP began with this now well-known incantation relating to self-hypnosis: “ we are the Repsol Honda team, I am Marc Marquez ". Which means ? “ We must face the pre-season and the season with the aim of fighting for the title ».
And so here we go again… “ When you start a season, you do it to win. Otherwise you stay at home. Physically I see the light at the end of the tunnel… The motorcycle? That's the big question. You can love it or hate it, but it's a team sport, we have to be united ».
Marc Marquez: “ there is still a test in Portimao, there is room for improvement«
However, anyone approaching 30 is not above ground either: “ many put me among the favorites because of my course, but if you analyze the last three years, well I'm not among the favorites... »
And he insists: “ I'm not one of the favorites. But my goal is the same every year: to fight for the first places in front ". Concretely, it should look like this: “ during the races we will be realistic about our situation, but for now we have to try to fight and be well prepared, think about who is the fastest and be close to the strongest. One test left in Portimao, there is room for improvement ».
He ends with the changes he has witnessed around him in recent times… “ There has been a structural change within HRC. You have to make the change first, then the fruits will come in the long run, but there has been a reaction, there are changes. I'm enthusiastic, I have confidence in Honda, with the changes that are made and with the tests that we have done. There were small steps. We are still far away but closer than four months ago ».
