JAKARTA – Marc Marquez can't wait to race at the Mandalika MotoGP Grand Prix. And it will be an opportunity for the Spaniard to explore his Honda RC213V motorcycle.
When he got off at Mandalika later, Marquez had time to tinker with his motorbike after holding back in Qatar. He will have the opportunity to collect data related to tire performance at high temperatures and how to conquer corners.
"(In Qatar) we didn't touch the bike much because it was the first race and I didn't want to lose our way. We just concentrated on the race line and the tires. And in Mandalika we will continue that process to adapt the bike to my riding style," he said quoted by Crash, Monday, March 14.
The Spaniard got unsatisfactory results in the first MotoGP series at the Losail International Circuit, Qatar, on March 6. He failed to get on the podium after finishing in fifth place
However, his team-mate Pol Espargaro could snatch a third podium finish or be behind Ducati's Enea Bastianini and KTM's Brad Binder who filled the two leading positions.
Thus, the Mandalika race is so important for Marquez and his team. They will continue the adjustment program on the RC213V which is completely different from the previous version.
"We found something different with this new bike, and we improved since I started the first test, especially in Mandalika," said Marquez.
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"Mandalika will be better. Better in terms of results I don't know, but it will be easier to understand things, because you can work in the morning and evening sessions," he continued.
During the Mandalika race, Honda still had work to do with issues on the front-end. This problem is also the reason why Marquez, unlike Espargaro, does not have aerodynamic side pods on his homologous fairing.
Marquez's hurdle of course is not just a technical one, but a physical one after battling serious injuries to his arm, shoulder, and eye over the past two seasons. However, it was still surprising to see the Repsol Honda rider lead lap after lap in last Sunday's season opener.
Despite failing to finish in Qatar, Marquez was still able to beat the champion favorites such as defending champion Fabio Quartararo (ninth), Joan Mir (sixth), and last season's title runner-up Francesco Bagnaia.
The Mandalika Grand Prix will take place on March 20. A total of 20 riders from MotoGP, Moto2, and Moto3, will parade with President Joko Widodo on Wednesday, March 16, before leaving for Lombok.
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