In the Qatar season opener, Marquez reached a prime velocity of 352km/h (218.7mph), narrowly surpassing the observe document established again in 2016 by Ducati rider Andrea Iannone.
In addition, three of the 5 quickest bikes by way of prime velocity on the Losail circuit had been Hondas, with Cal Crutchlow and Jorge Lorenzo becoming a member of Marquez on that checklist. The remaining two had been a Ducati (Jack Miller) and a Suzuki (Joan Mir).
Race winner Andrea Dovizioso was not even among the many 10 quickest of the race, together with his prime velocity of 346.3km/h (215.2mph) placing him 11th on the checklist.
Marquez stated he would like to should take care of any uncomfortable side effects of the rise in energy than battle towards a top-speed deficit, as in earlier years.
“This winter, in Honda, they had been obsessive about prime velocity,” stated Marquez. “When they see different bike being sooner than ours, they don’t tolerate it.
“When you could have a strong engine, there are mechanics and instruments to take care of [any problems].”
Ducati sporting director Paolo Ciabatti stated one of many the reason why Ducati had fallen behind within the prime velocity stakes was associated to revised aerodynamic guidelines now not permitting the Italian producer to run a model of its fairing with out winglets.
Ciabatti instructed Motorsport.com: “Last 12 months, Dovizioso raced in Qatar with out winglets and that lets you get greater most speeds.
“However, with new laws we needed to homologate a fairing with winglets, and you’ll’t take away them in some particular circuits.
“That reality has meant that the utmost velocity of our bike has decreased.”
Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / LAT Images