The eight-time world champion made his public debut with the Gresini workforce he’ll race with this season at its launch on Saturday, after parting methods with Honda on the finish of a troublesome 2023 marketing campaign.
Marquez made his debut on the bike on the post-season Valencia check final November, ending the day fourth total and simply 0.171 seconds off the tempo.
He instructed DAZN later that he tailored faster to the GP23 Ducati he’ll race in 2024 than he anticipated, however has as soon as once more moved to quash expectation that he can be a victory contender from the off this season on Saturday at Gresini’s launch.
“One factor is expectation, the opposite factor is method,” Marquez stated. “I imply, after all my method is to attempt to be quick on the race monitor, and if I might be quicker within the first check, I’ll attempt to do it.
“However the different factor is expectation versus actuality. After all, expectations are tremendous excessive from the individuals.
“However as I stated on this situation, my work is to attempt to overlook about all these expectations, making an attempt to work in my storage as a result of I should be calm, particularly at first.
“Calm doesn’t imply not being quick. After all I wish to be quick, however I can’t faux to [think I can] struggle for the victory from the start as a result of the final 4 years have been a nightmare for me.
Picture by: Gresini Racing
Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing
“The final two years I used to be not capable of win a race and particularly as a result of I arrive to a motorcycle that, particularly with two riders – who’re [Francesco] Bagnaia and [Jorge] Martin – [who] spent a few years with this bike and received many races and championships.
“So, they’re tremendous quick and they’re going to have the 2024 bike… the identical bike. We are able to say the identical bike, however you arrive there and you can not faux to be on the identical degree – or, it won’t be the traditional factor to be on the identical degree with them.”
Regardless of going for arm pump surgical procedure straight after the Valencia check, Marquez says this was the primary winter since 2017 that he wasn’t battling restoration from damage.
“After all, lastly I did a traditional winter,” he added. “This was one other factor that was crucial as a result of since 2018 I’ve had the entire winters with rehabilitation of the shoulders, of the arm.
“Now I had a traditional winter and I’ll attempt to escape from the accidents, which was the nightmare of the final years – even in 2023 I bought injured.
“So, the rationale for my outcomes was additionally not simply the Honda, however I additionally bought injured many, many occasions.
“So, with all these features I’ll attempt to work in a greater means, attempt to really feel higher on the race monitor and attempt to create my future once more.”
