Marc Marquez after the Sepang test: "There were riders faster than me

The curtain falls on the MotoGP test in Malaysia, Marc Marquez leaves with a smile but without getting carried away by enthusiasm. The Ducati champion finished with the fourth fastest overall time over the three days, four tenths behind his brother Alex, the quickest. The physical sensations are good after the Mandalika injury and the right shoulder surgery four months ago.

The priority was to get back up to speed with the Desmosedici after the long layoff. On the first day, the Cervera phenomenon set the best time; on Wednesday he finished 15th, but only because rain interrupted the aerodynamics work. On the third day of MotoGP testing at Sepang, Marquez clocked the fourth best time, 0.387 seconds behind his brother. He completed a Sprint simulation, but above all he wrapped up the work planned with Ducati on the eve of the preseason. By the first race weekend in Thailand, the first aerodynamics package will need to be homologated, and in the Red box they seem to already have a clear plan.

Marc Marquez admitted he finished the test a bit tired and still needs to fine-tune some ergonomic details. "In the afternoon, my position on the bike wasn’t the best. But these three days helped me a lot in preparing for the Thai GP." One of the key points of these tests was aerodynamics. "When you change the aerodynamics, you also change the balance of the bike. We were trying a new setup and I crashed at Turn 1 because the balance was different... When you know you’re fast, it’s hard to adapt to other things. But you have to face the situation with an open mind and try new things."

Regarding the work of the Borgo Panigale engineers, the MotoGP champion gave a positive assessment. "I think they did a good job; they brought some improvements, but nothing major. Ultimately, you can’t improve much with the same engine." For Marc, the key to Ducati’s success is its stability. "There’s no reason to take risks; that’s why Ducati is where it is today, and that’s why it’s been the most dominant bike in the World Championship in recent years."

Márquez doesn’t rely on pre-season times and prefers to remain calm despite his rivals’ improvements. "Last year Aprilia closed the gap and improved further over the winter, but I remain cautious because every year is different. We’ll see where Bezzecchi, who won the last races, stands in three months," Marc emphasized, reminding everyone that tests don’t always reflect reality. "The grip on track after a few days of testing isn’t realistic; we need to understand more during the races."

The big question mark was his physical condition after the injury suffered in Indonesia last year. "I feel good; obviously I always want more, but I would have signed to arrive at the tests in this condition. On the first day I managed my energy well; the second day was a bit tougher, but I was able to do everything," confessed Marc Marquez.

Strange not to see himself at the top of the timesheets? "There were three or four riders faster than me, and it didn’t bother me because they were faster. But it’s not the first time we haven’t been the fastest in Malaysia. I’m very clear that we need to keep working, and the experience I’ve gained in MotoGP has taught me that things change from one year to the next. The competition improves and you have to know how to reinvent yourself. You can’t expect it to be a year like last year, when I won with such a big margin. Every year starts from zero."