Honda is “already in delay” with development of its 2023 MotoGP bike, according to Marc Marquez.
Just one round remains in the 2022 season, at Valencia on the first weekend of November, after which a post-season test will take place at the same venue on the Tuesday.
However, speaking after finishing seventh in the Malaysian Grand Prix, Marquez revealed he did not know what is in store for him at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo on November 8.
“They still haven’t given me the schedule,” said the six-time premier class champion.
“I don’t know if a new bike will arrive or not [at Valencia].
“We are already in delay because Misano [in-season test, September] is when normally all the manufacturers try the 2023 bike.
“We are delayed and Honda know that we’re in delay, so we will have only one chance.
“I hope to try something interesting in Valencia… also because what you try in Malaysia in February [it] is the bike you will race.
“You don’t have time to change it.”
Normally, manufacturers bring an early prototype of the following season’s bike to the Misano test with a view to using lessons from that outing in post-season.
Honda has, to some extent, been using the latter events of the 2022 campaign as testing, given the different chassis specifications and aerodynamic pieces which Marquez has been trying.
However, even if it does have new developments, there is simply less time for its lead rider to test them all with just one day of post-season running this year, and hence the stakes are higher.
The latest revelations come after Pol Espargaro, who is on his way back to the KTM group with GasGas Factory Racing next year, blasted Honda for “not working hard enough” prior to the Misano test.
Marquez qualified on the front row last time out at Sepang, but admitted that performance was “not normal” , and was not surprised to struggle in the race itself.
“In one lap, you can do it, but in the race, I started strong and then immediately saw I was losing [time] on the main straights and risking too much,” he explained.
“I felt [we had] a slow bike all weekend, so you have to push more in the corners.
“For a single lap you can do it, but for a race distance the tyre degradation becomes bigger than normal.
“I tried to find my rhythm. [Suzuki riders Joan] Mir and [Alex] Rins were a bit faster than me, but it’s what we expected.
“I took the maximum. It’s a circuit with the weak points of my riding style, but also the weak points of the bike.
“So, [the Sepang race] is one of the worst-case scenarios.”
Marquez is still Honda’s leading rider in the standings, holding 12th position despite missing eight of the 19 rounds so far this year due to injury/lack of fitness.
The Valencia round takes place on November 4-6.
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