Espargaro claims Honda is 'ready for Qatar', Marquez: 'We did another step'
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Pol Espargaro and eight-time world champion Marc Marquez believe Honda are in great shape following another positive day of MotoGP testing at Mandalika. After topping day one, Espargaro elected to focus predominantly on race pace during day two, and while calculations suggest Fabio Quartararo was a tenth quicker over 15 laps, Espargaro was second best to the current world champion. Following his impressive start to testing at Sepang and now Mandalika, the seven-time MotoGP podium finisher claims Honda is ‘ready for Qatar’, despite there being a day of testing left to go. Espargaro said: “Overall I think the day was great. I think the bike is getting better and better and after today it feels like it’s ready for Qatar. This is nice to feel that way before the season unlike last year. Related Binder: Set-up changes ‘working’, Oliveira ‘optimistic’ about KTM potential Miller: ‘Sending it at turn seven is fun’, finds ‘big step’ with electronics”It feels good in the race pace; we had one of the best ones, if not the best one. In one lap we had some small problems with the front brakes, but even with that, if we put the ideal time together then we were second. “There’s nothing else to say, the bike is good and we’re pumped to start the season. Related Rins: Grip ‘getting better every lap’, aims to test ‘many items’ Espargaro: Honda ‘working well’, expects to challenge sub 1m 30s lap time”Sure, it’s just a test but considering how it went in Malaysia, how it’s going here with hot conditions which normally I struggle with quite a lot, we are competing well and feeling ready for Qatar.” Although Espargaro felt he could have been as high as P2, it’s a position that eventually went the way of team-mate Marquez, who himself made ‘another step’ as he continues to try and regain full fitness. After choosing not to set a time attack during day one which therefore led to a 17th place finish, Marquez made the most of Saturday’s better grip to set a 1:31.481 – 0.192s behind Luca Marini’s top time. “4But despite the improved result, Marquez is convinced even more performance is yet to come from his RC213V machine. Marquez said: “I already said that I’m starting to feel more the bike. Today we did another step. It’s true that we finished second but I don’t care about the position or the time attack right now. “It’s more about the rhythm and the way that the lap time was coming. Even in the last time attack we tried something different in the bike and it was an improvement. “5”I’m happy because we are trying new things and now we are looking for another step that I believe we can do. But yeah, I feel more the bike than yesterday.”
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