MotoGP Test: Marc Marquez Tries The New Honda

Cycle News Staff | June 20, 2013

Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez had his first outing on the 2014 Honda MotoGP prototype at the Motorland Aragon track in Spain today while also turning in some 60 laps on his current RC213V.

Marquez lapped at a best of 1:48.496 on his 51st lap with his current Honda before jumping on the new bike for 13 laps. He concurred with his teammate Dani Pedrosa, who tested the new bike yesterday, in that he will stick with his 2013 model for the remainder of the season.

“It’s been a positive test here in Aragon – which is one of my favorite circuits,” Marquez said in a Honda release. “I have learned quite a lot in these two days, in the beginning I struggled a lot in the long corners, but together with my team we have progressed and today I was able to ride well – with a good rhythm. I’ve tested many things and every exit we had a different setting. Now I understand the bike a lot more than at the start of the season and after a few laps I am now able to understand if we have a good setting or not.

“Yesterday I concentrated on the coming GPs and tuning the bike in preparation. Then today I tested new parts, some items with Öhlins and also a new tire from Bridgestone. I was also able to complete 13 laps on the 2014 prototype machine. The first feeling was quite good and the engine has some improvement. With the chassis, there is also an improvement, but also some areas to work on but we didn’t do any setup work on the bike. Anyway, this is a very good base for the HRC engineers to work from, but at the moment I prefer our current 2013 machine.”