Marc Marquez has opened up on his first time crashing a Ducati.
The new Gresini rider fell from his GP23 in the final hour of preseason MotoGP testing in Qatar.
He is coming off a season where he set the unwanted record for his most-ever amount of crashes (29) but, by losing control of his Ducati for the first time, it may be an indicator that he is edging closer to its limit.
"It's true [Tuesday] was the first day that I have increased that intensity on the bike,” Marquez told DAZN.
“It was the first day that I said ‘if I fall, I fall…’
“And, in fact, the first fall has come. But it was time.
“It was the last day of preseason. It was time to raise this point.
"In fact, it was at the end of the day, the fall.
“Doing the long run, where I was challenging myself to improve points.
“Because there are some corners where I lose, especially with respect to Pecco Bagnaia, Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martin, who are the ones I have reference in the same factory.
"We will see what happens in the grand prix.
“But we are still a little far from these three or four riders who are making the difference.”
Marquez’s preseason was otherwise fairly low-key as he continued his adaption from the Honda, which he rode for 11 years, to the Ducati which dominated MotoGP last year.
Last season’s title contenders Bagnaia and Martin step onto the developed GP24 this year, while Gresini and VR46 riders are left with the GP23.
"With what I have, I'm going to give my best,” Marquez said.
“I'm having fun, which is important. I'm enjoying myself.
“Whether I'm in front or not, we'll see.
“Logically, if you're in front, you'll have a better time, but it's true that at the moment Pecco , Bastianini and Martin have a little more than the rest.
"But we have already managed to reduce these distances that we had in Malaysia, for example.
“At the moment we still have those two or three tenths left that are the most difficult to reduce.
"There are still a few things missing. The important thing and the evaluation of the preseason is good.
“Because we have done a solid preseason, without getting nervous, respecting the times that were needed to get to know the bike.”
The season begins on March 8 in Qatar with Marquez’s true potential on the Ducati still a mystery.
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