Nineteenth, 1,399 behind the lead held by Francesco Bagnaia, and calm for the moment, at least apparently… Marc Márquez has shown himself at the conclusion of the first day of testing in Portimao. It is true that he did not ride soft rubber on his Honda, but it is still hard to see him so far back…
-How was the day?
-It has been a busy day, in which I had many things to prove. I did 80 laps and I didn’t even stop to eat, because I wanted to concentrate everything today, especially in the afternoon, since there were a lot of concept things to try, like on the second day in Malaysia, where I tried a lot of concept things and big. These are things that are not very useful to advance at the time level, but they are useful for engineers to understand. In fact, they ask for it. So we’ve focused the afternoon on testing a lot of great things. In the morning we weren’t as bad as it seems in qualifying, but tomorrow reality will be seen a little more: if we are in the same place, if we are better or if we are much better. Tomorrow is the day to focus on what there is, on what we have. We have already decided on the entire chassis, engine and aerodynamics. And from there, with that, get one hundred percent and work as a team to take small steps.
-Can you be optimistic or have you been left with doubts?
-At the pace level we were between half a second and seven tenths of the fastest. We’re far away. Yes, it’s true that later we have to see what happens when we put on the soft tire, which I didn’t mount today, but we wouldn’t have been much closer either. Maybe we would have finished 12th, 13th, 14th, somewhere. This is where we have to continue working to try to get closer and be closer to the entire Ducati group, which is the one that is setting the tone a little more, and the Aprilias too, which are going fast.
-How was the scare practicing the exit?
-This year the clutch has changed a bit and I still get the vice of the other clutch. It has to change a bit. I lost rear grip because I was on the medium rear tire with a lot of laps and maybe it wasn’t quite warm. But the other two outings have been good.
-Do you have the feeling that Honda has taken a small step?
-Well, for the moment today we have tried several things, but it is true that I ended up with the same bike that I ended up with in Sepang, and tomorrow I am going to focus on that bike. It’s the one I feel most comfortable with. I am also going to focus on my riding, on improving and on trying to find a little more and work with the entire technical team to begin to refine details. With what we have, there is this, and we have to make the most of it.
-Have you given the time to the engineers they asked for and now it’s your turn?
-Yes Yes. It is clear that the engineers have worked during the winter and, when you arrive at the last day of pre-season, you know what you will have for at least the first part of the season. Now, with that, you have to work with the team and make the most of the situations. The first situation starts already tomorrow, with that, already working at a more specific set-up level for each circuit. Tomorrow it’s time to prepare the first GP.
-It almost seems that they have worked more for 2024 than for 2023…
-Well, it is true that the technical director has been changed and that makes you try concept things to understand. When you change the technical director and try to change things, in two months not everything is changed, and when they ask you to try things you must do it. We have worked on big things, and also at the level of aerodynamics, but sometimes there are things that look one way on the computer and another in practice. With what we have, with the best I’ve found, you have to work hard, as a team and be united, to get the most out of each situation.
-When the day is over, do the engineers digest what you tell them or do they have another meeting afterwards?
-No, normally there is a short meeting, but with the key points, highlighting the best, what has potential. What is not said is that it does not have potential, but it is good to summarize.