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Marquez says Honda's MotoGP rivals Ducati and Yamaha 'far' ahead

Marc Marquez believes Ducati and Yamaha are both "far" ahead of Honda after the opening day of MotoGP pre-season testing in Qatar.

Honda had a quiet start to the Qatar test, with Marquez and factory team-mate Jorge Lorenzo 10th and 21st respectively while Ducati's and Yamaha's factory riders occupied four of the top five places on day one.

Marquez said Qatar's Losail circuit is usually a difficult track for Honda, but added he felt the team still has more work to do to find the right set-up.

"We had some issues on the set-up, we need to work there to understand [it] because Ducati and Yamaha riders are far from us," said Marquez, who also crashed on the first day.

"It is true that on this circuit we normally struggle [and] we have two more days [of testing], but we need to work in a different way to be closer to them.

"Still we need to understand many things. We started here with the Sepang set-up and it looks like it is not working.

"We didn't have time to change it because it is only three hours in the correct time to test [in representative conditions]."

But Marquez said he was happy with how his shoulder, which was operated on in December, has continued to heal since the Sepang test earlier this month.

"Now I am riding in a normal way, more in my style," said Marquez. "In Malaysia I was very smooth.

"Now I have more power, still not as much as I have last year but [it's] coming closer.

"Compared to Malaysia, we did a huge step. In some areas still feel some pain but the power is there so this is important."

Marquez previously stated he does not expect to be fully fit for the Qatar season opener, but said he does not expect his rivals to start with an advantage because of his injury.

"I can say that about physical condition they will not have advantage," he added.

"Today I feel in better physical condition but I am far [away] in lap time.

"In two weeks I think maybe not 100%, but [I will be] close to 100%."

Zdroj: autosport.com