Marc Marquez is looking for more at Mandalika after a disappointing Qatar GP saw the Repsol Honda rider home in fifth.

A positive Saturday showing and front row start faded for the eight-time World Champion, with the RC213V having no answer as Gresini Ducati’s Enea Bastianini powered by on his way to his debut victory on Sunday night. While HRC was represented on the Doha podium, it was teammate Pol Espargaro enjoying the celebrations rather the usual sight of Marquez.

“Basically in Qatar was a solid weekend, nothing really special but we were there, we were not so far from the top positions that was my target,” Marquez explained from Indonesia. “Of course I try. Of course I tried to be on the podium. Of course I try to follow Enea when he overtook me but was not the day, was not the time.

“Our target this weekend is try to improve the result from Qatar and then in Argentina try to improve the result from here but is step by step. I’m feeling good.

In Qatar race, 22 laps in a row was the best feeling I had during last two years!” he continued, on the ongoing recovery from injury that has plagued the Spaniard since 2020. “Let’s see how we can approach this weekend. Pol was the fastest one, so he will be one of the guys this weekend because was the fastest guy in the preseason test. Enea, Fabio and why not Brad that also is there. We will see, many new faces, but they are riding fast.

“In the Qatar race is where I really understand what I need, which needs to be the direction for my riding style,” Marquez said of his 2022 season so far. “In the test always it’s difficult, in practice always difficult because you do five laps, stop, laps, stop, but in 22 laps in a row you can understand, and following the others you can understand especially which point you are losing. We understand a little bit more, here we will start to find a way but if it is not possible, we know that our base setup is working well.”

While the season may not be unfolding quite as expected for the MotoGP stalwart, the Repsol rider remains confident with the tools at his disposal.

“Since I ride this bike from the first time I understand that the potential was very high but I need a special feeling with the front if I want to be fast,” he explained. “So this is what I really miss at the moment and is what we are looking for. For example, I’m riding with the same bike as my teammate and he is riding in another way, he is able to be very fast and we are able to be fast. But that special feeling is what I really need to be faster. So at the moment the problem is that I don’t understand when I will crash or when I will lose the front. Anyway, riding with this base, is a base that you can win races but I want more. I want to do a step so we are looking on that point.”

One skill Marquez is known for is his ability to be fast from the outset at new circuits, something he proved on day one at Mandalika in winter testing. While many are tipping him for more success at Lombok’s inaugural race this weekend, the Spaniard is less convinced.

“This is not a completely new track because we did the test, three days, so it’s not a new track, everybody will be fast.

“In the test from the first day, first runs I was able to be fast on the times,” he confirmed. “Then I stayed there and the others arrived. I don’t know why, just follow my instinct and with the new tracks, normally following my instincts I feel good but it’s true that by the years and by the laps, the others are getting closer and closer. We would try to do a step here, but is true is a new rear casing, will be different but let’s see. Let’s see if we can fight or we can do a better race compared to Qatar.”