Team goals
Taking over from Santi Hernandez, Marc Marquez’s crew chief since 2014, is no mean feat. Together the Spanish duo amassed five premier class crowns and 53 wins across ten years. But Englishman Frankie Carchedi is up to the task, having led Joan Mir to the title in 2020 and overseen Fabio Di Giannantonio’s rejuvenation last season.
“My objectives are really clear: to make sure he’s happy, to get him as fast as possible so he can compete at the front,” Carchedi told MCN. “I have no idea how long that will take. The whole thing now is about the Sepang test. We’ll build from there. We haven’t even thought about the first race. Come
‘Everything is either new or different...’
Valencia we’ll see where we started and where we finish!”
Reluctant to read too much into his new rider’s performance at the Valencia test, Carchedi is focused on getting Marquez comfortable on his GP23, and expects the combination to become more competitive during the year.
“He did less than 50 laps at Valencia and the conditions were awful, so it was difficult,” he said. “The only changes we made were for the wind and cold, plus he had just one bike.
“Communication is brilliant. It’s a different project for him. Everything is either strange or different – some good, some bad. It’s all about understanding each other. You always try to put how he works and how I work together and adapt. It’s not just about being mates; it’s understanding what he wants to go fast. It takes time. Sepang will be where I can understand how he rides.”