Marc Marquez made his first public remarks after the first test on his new Gresini Ducati MotoGP bike which took place in Valencia in November.
Marc Marquez has high hopes for the 2024 MotoGP campaign after he revealed he adapted to the Ducati MotoGP bike far more quickly than expected following his first test with Gresini in Valencia.
This comes after the six-time world champion switched from the Honda factory team, which has been his home since making his MotoGP debut in 2013, and joined the Ducati satellite squad Gresini for 2024 as a result of Honda’s recent struggles to supply the rider with a competitive bike.
Marquez appeared to be enjoying his first day aboard the Desmosedici as he pushed the bike relentlessly towards the top of the timesheets and eventually finished fourth overall. A beaming smile that he gave his new crew chief Frankie Charchedi upon getting off the bike for the first time said it all.
Following the the end of 2023, the Spaniard—who had a deal with Honda through the end of the year—was finally free to open up on his first impressions riding the Ducati. Initially he was not allowed to go into detail about his test until January 1st according to his Honda contract.
Marquez acknowledged being anxious before the outing in a statement with Spanish network DAZN which had been withheld until January 1.
“I was nervous and there were butterflies in my stomach,” Marquez told DAZN.“Even though I have been in the championship for many years, it was a big change.
“But afterward I stayed calm, relaxed. I made the day calm, and relaxed, trying to understand myself with my new technical team and with my new motorcycle.
Marquez also revealed he adjusted to the Ducati GP23 more quickly than he had anticipated and expressed gratitude after being welcomed with open arms by the Gresini squad.
“The first was a day of adaptation to the positions,” he added. “We changed things because on some I didn’t feel completely comfortable but the speed was there.
“I understood the bike and how to manage things. I still have a lot to learn, maybe not to go faster, but to be more consistent and much safer.
“The time came out without looking for it too hard. The Ducati is a different bike to the Honda, with a different style.
“I’m jumping on the champion bike, so it’s in my hands. There are a lot of riders going fast on this bike.”
In his maiden test on the Ducati, Marquez was fast from the start and finished less than two tenths of a second slower than the benchmark set by Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales.
“The speed is there, but I still have a lot of things to understand,” Marquez added. “Not so much to go faster, but to be more consistent.”
Marquez is scheduled to participate in the team’s official launch in Riccione, Italy on January 20 ahead of the official pre-season test which is scheduled to take place in Malaysia from February 6–8. He will be racing alongside his brother Alex Marquez for 2024.
