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MotoGP Buriram February testing
Honda settled on more "aggressive" engine, says Marquez
Marc Marquez has indicated that Honda has settled on continuing with its latest-spec MotoGP engine despite worries the new unit is overly "aggressive".
Katy Fairman
Edited: Feb 19, 2018, 2:03 PM
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Both Marquez and teammate Dani Pedrosa had expressed concern over the new engine's characteristics despite setting the pace on the second and third days of testing in Thailand respectively.
Satellite LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow made it a clean sweep for the Japanese marque after topping the timesheets on the opening day of running at Buriram.
One pre-season test remains in Qatar later this month ahead of the first grand prix of the season at the same venue, and Marquez says it will be important to ensure the chosen engine also performs as well in cooler conditions as it has done in the heat of Malaysia and Thailand.
“[It] looks like we already decided the engine, it is the one we use here [at Buriram]," said reigning champion Marquez. "The latest spec that Honda brought to Malaysia [for the opening test].
“We wait for Qatar, because it will be a circuit we struggle more than this one. Here [at Buriram] and Malaysia we were working well, but I repeat the same.
“Engine character is still something we need to improve. We cannot forget we are at a very warm circuit and in Qatar in the night it's quite cold.
“There we will see how the character of the engine is, because it is still in some areas too aggressive, but we are working on that area.”
Pedrosa added: "Obviously it is a little bit different on the next track [Qatar] because it is the first time going into cooler conditions.
"So it will be the first time for us with the engine to go with this and it will be very interesting because we have the first experience with the engine in this hot place and now we need to set up for different situation."
Different atmosphere at Honda
Despite his reservations about the latest-spec engine, Marquez said he was satisfied with how well the Honda factory has reacted to his requests.
“The good thing, and [what] makes me happy, is the factory is working really quick this year," said the 25-year-old. "I feel the atmosphere is different and this is something important.”
Pedrosa also complimented the “positive” development inside the Honda team and the decision to bring in top management from Japan to the test.
“The feeling goes direct, the reaction timings are much better, you can understand a lot more of the things and you can have quicker answers as well," he explained.
"Honda is developing, and I think we are all working good in the team.”
Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont
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