Repsol Honda team manager Alb﷽erto Puig acknowledged that reducing the highside risk was ‘very important’ since it is not only a matter of performance♈ but safety.

“We have been working a lot during the winter in Japan𒁏 and with the European groups, and this is one topic where we have to improve and where we areဣ focussed,” Puig said.

“Obviously not just to arrive to a [competitive] bike, but💞 what you are talking about is an area of safety that we know is very important and clearly w⛎e are looking at it.”

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Marquez, who suffered another episode of diplopia due to a huge highside in Indonesia early last season, said he had already noticed a signi💎ficant improvement in rea👍r grip consistency on his return from arm surgery at the end of last year.

The eight-time world champion also had no ‘scares’ at the recent Sepang test but cautioned that theಌ real ‘test’ will come during a grand prix weekend, with less rubber on tꦏhe track.

“As Albertoꦉ said, we are all working in the same direction: a bikeꦗ that is fast, competitive and at the same time safe,” Marquez said.

“In the five🉐 races after I returned from injury there h🍬ad been a change in this philosophy and it was not the same bike that I left to have my arm operation [in June].

"In Malaysia, it was pretty good and I didn’t ha🅘ve any scares but⛦ then there is not always a warning when this happens!

“The real picture for me and the team will come during the Grands Prix because in the tests there is a lot of rubber on track, you ride differ𝓀ently and have a lot of time on track.

"Yes, [the tests] serve to try technical th൩ings but not really to understand exactly the level of where we are.”

New team-mate Joan Mir, arriving at Honda from Suzuki, said he had plenty of confidence in the 🌞rear grip.

“In Sepang, I did not see a big problem with confidence i🍬n this area,” said Mir. “As was said,ꦆ Honda have been working for improvement in this direction and I cannot say it was a big problem.”