Marc Marquez’s early Ducati days: “Information not flowing in the same way”

Marc Marquez has described how he is still adjusting to Gresini Ducati.

His high-profile switch from Repsol Honda means swapping one of MotoGP’s giants for one of the smaller teams.

His adaptation is not solely with a new bike - it is also with a new set of behind-the-scenes staff.

Marquez was asked if the Japanese way of working differed to the Italian way.

He replied: “It’s more than Italian or Japanese. It’s factory or no factory.

“In a factory there are many things to try.

“You need to understand the way to ride, to be focused. You need to be precise with comments because it’s for the development of the bike.

“Now, I’m in another situation. I am riding, focusing more on learning how to ride the bike.

“With the technicians, with the mechanics, the information is not flowing in the same way.

“Because, with the other team, I worked for 12 years.

“Honda is Honda. It’s HRC. Massive respect to them.”

He described changing Repsol Honda for Gresini Ducati: “Japanese culture, and a factory team. This is a private team, a familiar team with an Italian culture.

“It’s completely different. The way to work, to be precise, to plan the test? If you want to fight at the top, there is one way.”

Marquez struggled with technical issues on the first day of the preseason Sepang test.

By the third day, he finished sixth-fastest (teammate and brother Alex Marquez was fourth).

But the three days in Sepang have been a humbling reminder that Marquez’s switch onto a Ducati might present problems for him to overcome.

However, Pramac Ducati’s Jorge Martin disagrees. He has claimed that Marquez will immediately fight for victory at the first round of the 2024 season in Qatar on March 8-10.

A two-day test in Qatar, before the race, is Marquez’s final chance to prepare.