Marc Marquez ‘curious’ for Sepang, unsure of Ducati riding style
Watch Live Race and all sessions
Watch Replay Race and all sessions
2024 MotoGP Race Calendar,Race Results and Replays
2024 MotoGP Standings
The eight-time world champion admitted he felt ‘comfortable’ from his first run on the Desmosedici, but also cautioned that he is yet to test the limits of the bike.“In Valencia I was riding very smooth but still we don’t know if that will be my riding style with Ducati,” said Marquez, who was a close fourth quickest at the test, during Saturday night’s Gresini team launch.“It was the first test, I told them to just put the set-up of the others and not touch anything. Just I need to adapt.“They touched some very small things to give me more confidence with the front, but I was riding smooth because I didn’t feel ready to ride aggressive and find the limit of the bike.“I’m curious to try the bike in circuits like Malaysia and Qatar where I struggled a lot every year. Because Valencia normally I’m very fast every year.But it was a good way to start.“In Valencia, the lap time arrived because I felt comfortable with the bike from the first run.“But also I was calm because I had only one bike in the garage. I mean I was used to having four [Honda] bikes at the Valencia test! I had only one and they said to me, ‘if you , you finish the test’.Related Marc Marquez: “Alex has more chance to win Qatar than me” Marc Marquez: “Expectations vs reality”, Bagnaia and Martin “super fast”“So I was calm, working step by step and feeling the bike. But I’m curious to see how I feel in Malaysia.”While Marquez famously made up time on the brakes at Honda, the Ducati’s natural strength is on corner exit.“It’s a different way to approach the lap, and the lap time,” Marquez said. “When you want to push, still I need to understand that point. But way to approach the corners is completely different.“Of course, I need to say that Honda also has very strong points in some parts of the corner. But you cannot use the strong points that I was used to.“Especially the exit of the corner was really good, really smooth [on the Ducati]. But still I need to learn the way to use more the extra power and extra grip we have.”And no matter how good the bike is, Marquez – who fell a record 29 times last season – is adamant he will still need to take risks to succeed.“You have to risk to find the limit, this is my style and I will keep doing this.”The Ducati riders also fell a lot last season. So a bike has a limit. And you have to risk to go faster than the others.“At the beginning I will try to go slow but I’m sure I’ll have the first in Malaysia or Qatar. I’d prefer in the tests than a race!”The official Sepang test takes place from February 6-8, followed by the Qatar test on February 19-20. Marquez’s Ducati race debut will then take place at the same Lusail circuit on the weekend of March 8-10.
For motorsport news follow TRmotosports on social media.
