Marquez: 2022 bike a big difference, one of the biggest since I joined Honda

After a hard-fought fourth place in Misano, Marc Marquez is aiming to go a few steps better at COTA, a race he’s won six out of seven times in MotoGP. 

While Marquez remains less than fully fit, the Honda rider has continued to make strides forward whether it be at favoured tracks like Aragon (finished second) or Misano, a track much tougher on the right arm. 

Therefore another big performance could and probably should be expected from Marquez, no less because the eight-time world champion is expecting to go well in Austin. 

"Yeah, I mean the approach to the weekend compared from Misano to Austin is a bit different because normally I know I enjoy this track a lot," said Marquez. 

"I will try to enjoy it a lot because if we take this season, I’m suffering more than enjoying, but anyway, we will see. 

"It’s a tough track with the changes of direction, a lot of brake points, but luckily it’s on the left side. This will help and I’m just ready to enjoy it. If I enjoy it on the bike, the result will arrive."

With Marquez not in a championship battle, much of Honda’s attention has turned to 2022, a year that should see Marquez return to his best, but one where the Japanese manufacturer needs to deliver a more accepting and smoother motorcycle across its four riders. 

Their first 2022 prototype bike was recently rolled out at the two-day Misano test, an outing that saw both Marquez and Pol Espargaro go well at, while the changes compared to this year’s bike were some of the biggest Marquez has seen since joining the team. 

"As you see in Misano we tried the 2022 prototype and it was a big difference, one of the biggest differences since I joined Honda," added Marquez. 

"They are working very hard and it was very interesting. We improved our weak points. Of course, when you improve the weak points arrives another problem. 

"But, we already understand a bit and the comments between me and Pol were very similar. 

"Both of us with the new bike were fast, so the first contact was nice but we need to keep working in other circuits with less grip because the Misano circuit; the grip was unbelievable, so it was easy to be fast."