Honda's front end still "critical", says Marquez
Honda's 2019 MotoGP bike is still susceptible to front-end crashes despite the manufacturer's effort to improve this aspect, believes Marc Marquez.

Marquez suffered 23 crashes across the 2018 season on his way to a fifth MotoGP title, a contributing factor in the shoulder problems that led him to undergo surgery over the winter.
The operation left Marquez not fully fit for this week's Sepang test, and after completing limited laps on all three days he concluded Friday's running down in 11th place, a little under a second off the pace set by Ducati's Danilo Petrucci.
Although the Spaniard was not pushing hard enough to be certain, he pointed to the two crashes suffered by Honda stablemate Cal Crutchlow as evidence that the front end on the 2019 bike remains tricky.
"Of course we are working also on this area, but this test I wasn't concentrated on this area because I wasn't pushing like always," said Marquez. "I didn't have any saves, any moments, I was always smooth.
"This is not normal for me, but Cal crashed two or three times, and still it looks like a critical point but we will see.
"When I will be ready to push I will push like always but this test I don't have any saves, I wasn't pushing, and to try the things in the front, I say to them [the team] it is better to not try.
"We tried [to improve] acceleration because is where I can feel, but going on the corner I was not pushing."
When Marquez's opinion was put to him, Crutchlow said he felt his Sepang crashes stemmed from something different to the traditional cause of Honda riders "being too greedy with the front end".
Crutchlow explained: "You have to take my crashes differently, because when we normally crash with the front end with the Honda, we crash a lot in the braking zone and we over-stress the front and we crash.
"My front end feeling at the moment is the completely opposite. I feel like I don't have the load like last year, so maybe they have improved it, and I need to also adapt and we need to adapt the setting to it."
Read Also:
Final engine choice still to be made
Due to his injuries, Marquez said on Thursday he has primarily focused on comparing two different types of engine during the Sepang test rather than trying to hone finer details on the RC213V.
The reigning champion said he was "more or less" decided on which engine he prefers but added that Honda wanted to defer a final decision until after the last pre-season test in Qatar later this month.
"Still we have one test and they say that is not a big drama to choose here, but more or less for me the way is clear," said Marquez.
"But it is better to try in Qatar because the conditions we had these three days, especially this last day, we don't have during all the season.
"The track was so easy, there was a lot of rubber, everything works well because lot of rubber on the track, a lot of grip, and was easy to ride the bike."
Read Also:
Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont and Scherazade Mulia Saraswati

Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / LAT Images

Previous article
Lorenzo names four 2019 MotoGP title favourites
Next article
Espargaro: Aprilia has bike it should have had in 2018

About this article
Series | MotoGP |
Event | Sepang February testing |
Drivers | Marc Marquez |
Teams | Repsol Honda Team |
Author | Jamie Klein |
Honda's front end still "critical", says Marquez
Trending
Repsol Honda Team - Pol Espargaró Q&A
Repsol Honda Team - Marc Marquez Q&A
Why Alex Marquez doesn't care about 'shutting up' MotoGP critics
Alex Marquez's form was one of MotoGP 2020's biggest surprises and, by firmly stepping out of his six-time world champion brother Marc's shadow, he proved a few people wrong. Not that he cares about this, as he tells Lewis Duncan
How Yamaha's new MotoGP era can unchain Vinales
After the electrifying start to his Yamaha MotoGP career in 2017, Maverick Vinales has struggled for consistency. Many anticipate that the arrival of Fabio Quartararo could spell disaster, but the departure of Valentino Rossi could be just the impetus he needs.
Does KTM really need 'super engine' for MotoGP title challenge?
Fears from rival MotoGP manufacturers that KTM would build a 'super engine' for 2021 have ultimately come to nothing with the revealation that the RC16 hasn't been radically changed over the winter. But does it really need that to win the title?
How Ducati's latest Aussie union can return it to MotoGP glory
Australians on Ducatis is an iconic partnership, the marque's last one yielding its sole MotoGP crown to date. But its latest Aussie union with the often underestimated Jack Miller can end this drought.
The "balls out" battle between MotoGP's true greats
Senna vs Prost is regularly cited as motorsport's greatest rivalry. But it can easily be argued Rainey vs Schwantz can stake that claim. That rivalry was in full swing during the 1991 500cc season, remembered fondly by both stars 30 years on...
The "warrior" MotoGP rookie KTM was right to back
The 2020 MotoGP campaign featured a standout pair of rookies, but one flew under the radar as he adjusted to a shock step-up armed with very little racing experience. However as his veteran team boss explains, the faith shown in him was not misplaced
Why Suzuki's Brivio replacement must come from within
With its charismatic leader Davide Brivio leaving for Formula 1, the Suzuki MotoGP squad he turned into a world championship-winning force in 2020 has a major recruitment headache that it needs to resolve carefully.
Why Alpine's latest signing could be its best hope of F1 glory
The return of Fernando Alonso to the renamed Alpine team is a sure sign of the team's ambition. But its latest appointment from MotoGP could be an even bigger coup as it seeks to end a barren run stretching back to Alonso's 2006 world title