Marc Márquez was today like a child with new shoes after having been able to finally prove the official Honda RC213V of the HRC team. The Cervera driver finished the day with 28 laps to the Cheste track and a better time of 1: 33.403, just 1.081 of the reference time, marked by Dani Pedrosa, and very close to the Sunday’s fastest lap, also of Dani, which was 1.33.119, just 3 tenths.
After training, Marc commented that “my feeling is very good, I am very happy, the track was very wet and it took a long time to dry. In the afternoon I could only do 28 laps but I had a lot of fun with the bike. In the first laps it was incredible to feel the power, all the time anywhere there was wheelie (the bike makes a wheelie) and it was almost impossible to have the front wheel on the asphalt. Then the most important thing was that every time I went on the track I improved, my style was changing compared to Moto2, we’ll see, there are many things to improve and try. Especially the front tire, which is completely different from Moto2. ”
On the biggest difference that has been found with respect to Moto2, Marc commented that “especially the exit of the curve, you have to be concentrated to lift the bike, in Moto2 one of the biggest points is how to get out of the curve” .
Regarding his first feelings about the RC213V, Marc said that “the first reaction was to smile, on the first start I completed five laps and when I came back I said oh, I’m devastated, especially on the right arm, because there’s too much power on the bike. But I relaxed later and at each start I felt better on the track. ”
The difference in power between the MotoGP and Moto2 has become evident. “The first time I passed the straight I was hurrying the marches to the limit and there I felt behind all the power of this bike, and more than that the front wheel did not step on the ground and that was the most difficult to control. The braking at the beginning is also rare, with the carbon brakes is different but it is not the most difficult points, it is worse to put the bike in the curve, there we can improve a lot and get more confidence “.
About the load of electronics that have the MotoGP, Marc commented that “what I saw is that if you use too much electronics you go slower, you have to try to drive the motorcycle and that the electronics do not have to use it much because if not the power is smaller and you go more slowly. What is needed is to learn to use all the power, get the best performance, driving the bike is not so difficult, the hard part is not using all the power that the Honda gives you. ”
Marc must now vary his physical preparation and improve some points. “Maybe my arms need to be stronger, but the first time when you come out you feel it, the same happened to me when I tried the Moto2. You do not know the reactions of the motorcycle and you pay too much attention. We will see in Malaysia, with three days, if we need to be stronger. My physical condition is not bad. The first time you do not feel the bike, you are not so relaxed. You need to play a lot with the body, more than in Moto2. ”
Regarding the indications of the team in this first contact with the Honda, Marc commented that “the team told me to be calm, patient and have fun on the bike. In the first outing I did not have fun, I was quite scared. ”