---
title: "Marquez: We must do better"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2017/06/07/marquez-must-better/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Lewis Duncan"
section: "MotoGP News"
published: "2017-06-07T12:30:43Z"
modified: "2017-06-07T12:31:19Z"
---

# Marquez: We must do better

Honda’s Marc Marquez says he and his team ‘must do better’ at this weekend’s Catalan Grand Prix, after the Spaniard finished five seconds adrift of the win in sixth spot at Mugello.

Marquez, along with the rest of his fellow RC213V-mounted riders, struggled throughout the weekend with Michelin’s front tyres, the French firm’s compounds proving too soft for the demands of the aggressive Spaniard.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/06/692258864.jpg)

Enduring his worst qualifying in two years, Marquez failed to make any advances on sixth position during the 23-lap Italian Grand Prix and feels he got the best from the bike in the race.

“I’m happy to get back in action soon and to do it at Catalunya, as racing at home in front of all of your fans always gives you an extra boost,” he said.

“In Italy we managed the situation as well as possible, but we must do better. We have to be able to remain more consistently at a good level.”

After non-finishes in Argentina and France, as well as his sixth place in Mugello, Marquez has slipped to fourth in the championship and is 37 points adrift of standings leader Maverick Vinales.

Despite his woes of late, a positive test at the Spanish circuit following the French Grand Prix, in which Marquez was fastest and was able to improve the bike’s set-up considerably, has the Honda rider upbeat ahead of his home round.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/06/691536748.jpg)

“The test we did at Catalunya some days ago actually went well enough,” he remarked.

“We did a lot of laps, improving the bike’s set-up over the day. So we’ll try and build on that beginning on Friday.”

For 2017, revisions have been made to the Barcelona circuit in the wake for Luis Salom’s tragic accident 12 months ago.

MotoGP will continue to use the Formula 1 layout of Turn 10 as well as the final chicane, though a new one has been installed for this year for the benefit of the bikes.

[A number of riders were very critical of the layout changes following the recent test at the circuit](https://readmotorsport.com/2017/05/24/motogp-riders-slam-barcelona-circuit-alterations/), but Marquez is one of the few to have been won over by the new sections, the Spaniard liking the variation it adds to the lap.

“As for the changes made to the track, I think they’re interesting and quite challenging to interpret well.

“The speed and the corners on the rest of the circuit are all similar, while in that sector they’re now quite different. But, honestly, the layout is so particular that I like it.”