Marquez crashes trying new Honda fairing

Honda became the fourth MotoGP manufacturer to introduce a revised front fairing aimed at recouping some of the downforce generated by the now-banned winglets.

Its initial solution for the RC213V is similar to what Suzuki tried at Phillip Island last month, while Yamaha has gone with a lower bulge to house winglets and Aprilia a pair of sculpted channels.

Marquez headed out with the new fairing fitted roughly halfway through the opening day of the Qatar test, and crashed at the final corner during his first run.

Honda spent the winter trying to tame its revamped engine through electronics, something that seems to be under control following a private test at Jerez last month, before turning its attention to aerodynamics.

Only Ducati - which is understood to have brought a new fairing to Qatar - and newcomer KTM are yet to run revised front bodywork.

Other than KTM, manufacturers must homologate one fairing design for the season opener in Qatar in a fortnight, and they can then introduce one more variant for each of their riders at any point in the season.