Everyone, almost all the MotoGP riders, see Pecco Bagnaia, the current champion, as the undisputed favorite for the 2023 title, which will begin to be played this Saturday in Portimão. Also Marc Márquez, who does not hesitate to point out the Italian: “He is the favorite for the title, we are too far away to think about how to stop him,” commented the man from Cervera at the official press conference prior to the World Cup.

Together with Pecco Bagnaia and Fabio Quartararo in the press room, the 93rd reflected on different aspects at the start of his 11th season in MotoGP.

“It has been a very intense winter, we have tried many very different things, with a new technical director with new ideas, I only worked on myself on the last day of testing. We can’t think in terms of podiums or wins, but the season is very long. The last day we were not bad and at the level of rhythm we could get close. At one lap we are very far from Ducati. We have to see how the first 4 races go and we’ll see if we can fight for the top positions.”

“Right now Ducati has a technical package that is the reference, Pecco has been the fastest, we are far from them and even more from Pecco. We are working on the bike to improve in areas that are the same as last year.”

“I have no news about it nor have I received any information in the box. I don’t know if they work with them. We have to continue working in all areas.”

“The last three years have been very hard for me and for Honda, we did not come from the best situation, that is why we are not contenders today on day one, we have to work to be competitive in the future. My hope is to continue the same as in In 2019, I will do everything possible to be in the top positions.”

“I firmly believe in the Honda project, the situation can change from one day to the next, like Pecco last year, who didn’t start well and picked up a lot of levels and has victories.”