While the RC213V score🌠d just two podiums and was sixth and last in the constructors’ standings, Marquez arguably had the least competitive version on the grid.

Not only was 🤡he once again riding for the satellite LCR team, but when he inked a 2023 contract to join Gresini Ducati in June the chance of receiving any developments parts all but vanished.

The end result was just 50 points over the 20 rounds, 17th in the🌳 world championship and three top ten finishes, the best of which w൲as seventh place at Portimao.

To put that into🌟 perspective, Marquez had scored 74 points (and two podiums) ov▨er 14 rounds as a rookie at Repsol Honda in 2020.

Speaking at Saturday’s tea✅m launch, the 26-year-old admitted that the ‘suffering’ he went through last season took a toll on him mentally.

• FIRST LOOK: Gresini adds 'pinch more re🅺🐻d' for 2023 MotoGP livery
• Alex Marque𓃲z: ‘Everyone starts fᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚrom zero, but Marc’s the favourite'
• Dall’Igna: Ducati MotoE bike ‘just the start’, lap𝔉 🤪time ‘really good’

“It's true that after the Valencia test I took some break, because I was a little bit on the limit on the head side about bikes and all this. I finished the season a lౠittle bit on the limit for all the situation,” Marquez said.

“As I mentioned many times, I felt a little ꦗbit alon🍬e inside the box, but it's something from the past now. Yeah, I suffered, but I learned also from that situation.

“It was not easy for everybody. Suffering with the bike, suffering with the [parts] and all this, but I cannot complain about the LCR team. They have been there with me all th𒉰e time. I had a really good crew and in Valencia it w🦋as really emotional to leave the team, but it's something that I needed.

“[Joining Gresini Ducati] is a great opportunity for me. I felt a really great and warm welcome in Valencia. I went to the Ducati factory in December. So the feeling and the emꦆotions are great, motivation is high like always because last season I was in a difficult situation but I never lost the motivation and now we need to keep going lik♚e this.”

Why European manufacturers have the edge in MotoGP

Francesco Bagnaia’s MotoGP title victory is only the second time a European manufacturer has won the 500cc/MotoGP crown in the last 48 years, the other being fellow Ducat🍸i rider Casey Stoner in 2007.

But the feeling is that the once dominant Japanese brands, now reduced to just Honda and Yamaha, have lost the edge technically against the more aggressive development style of the European factorie🙈s.

Indeed, lasꦓt season saw Ducati, KTM and Aprilia win a combined 15 of ✤;20 races, with three victories by Yamaha’s reigning champion Fabio Quartararo and two for Suzuki's Alex Rins.

“It looks like the European ꧙manufacturers have some advantage, but it's not an advantage just because they are [based] in Europe or something,” Marquez stressed.

“No, they have a [different] mentality of working that at the mo꧒ment is an advantage for their riders.. They are much ♛faster doing new [parts] and all this.

“I think now Ducati is the ref🐼erence [so] I𒊎'm in a great place.”

Marquez is taking over theღ Gresini seat of four-time 2022 race winner Enea Bastianini, 🦩who has been promoted to the factory team alongside Bagnaia.