Marc Marquez: Argentina crash shows Honda 'not ready' in MotoGP 2017
Marc Marquez says his crash out of the lead of the Argentinian Grand Prix shows Honda's MotoGP bike is still not where he wants it to be
Honda has revamped its engine again in 2017, including adopting a new firing order, in a bid to eradicate the acceleration deficit its riders have endured in recent years.
Pairing the new engine to MotoGP's control electronics remains a work in progress, with Honda riders having to try to make up lost time under brakes.
Marquez was still able to build an early lead at Termas de Rio Hondo before losing the front end under braking and crashing on lap four, with team-mate Dani Pedrosa having an almost-identical fall mid-race.
While Marquez was at a loss to explain his crash post-race, he said it showed the Honda was "not ready" to be ridden in the natural, aggressive style that took him two his first two MotoGP titles in 2013 and '14.
"[Honda riders] take the risk in the point where we don't have any control, in the braking point," he said.
"For that reason, maybe Honda riders have crashed many times at this part of the season.
"In Argentina I tried to take some risks, because I felt really good, able to win the race.
"But what I saw is that we are not ready. The feeling is strong but still we are not ready 100% to take that risk.
"I need to have even more the [conservative] 2016 mentality."
Marquez is eighth in the championship after his Argentina crash, having finished fourth in the Qatar season opener.
That means he is 37 points behind Yamaha's Maverick Vinales ahead of this weekend's race at Austin, where Marquez has never been beaten.
Targeting a podium this weekend to kickstart his campaign rather than a ninth win from nine starts in the USA, Marquez feels that Honda's overall performance level is good, as work continues.
"From one circuit to the other one, Qatar to Argentina in this case, we changed a lot of stuff," he said.
"When you change the set-up, you are looking always at best lap time, but also the feeling of the limit can change also a little bit, to find it.
"We are working, Honda is working really hard and I think we will arrive soon.
"Pre-season has been really strong, but we had many hours there to set up the bike on the winter test.
"Now the race weekend is different, but we are quite close.
"I crashed in Argentina but I was leading the race. This is the most important thing and it is what I feel."
Be part of the Autosport community
Join the conversationShare Or Save This Story
Suzuki didn't see its tough start to 2017 MotoGP season coming
Miller sick of Honda MotoGP bike's continued acceleration deficit
The winners and losers of MotoGP's reshuffle
Alex Marquez: Ducati ‘makes you feel important’ as a MotoGP rider
Alex Marquez ‘needs to take profit’ of Marc joining Gresini MotoGP team
Why Alex Marquez doesn't care about 'shutting up' MotoGP critics
Nicky Hayden: Remembering motorsport's much-loved "one-off" five years on
Morbidelli/Rossi relationship won’t change as MotoGP team-mates
How Yamaha's new MotoGP era can unchain Vinales
Power “didn't have any defence” against Dixon with tyre strategy at Long Beach
Ferrari announces HP as new F1 team title sponsor
Raul Fernandez set to get 2024 Aprilia MotoGP bike at Jerez
Ford simulator boosting M-Sport WRC Puma performances
Can anyone stop "changed" Bagnaia as Ducati tightens its grip on MotoGP?
The signs that MotoGP's Japanese powerhouses are changing for the better
The other Suzuki signing that could transform Honda's MotoGP form
How the MotoGP paddock has offered refuge to Suzuki's former team
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments