Repsol Honda unveils 2013 RC213V

Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez have unveiled the new 2013 factory Honda RC213V that the Spanish duo hope will help wrestle the MotoGP crown off compatriot and Yamaha rival Jorge Lorenzo.

The new bike features a new Repsol livery and was launched at a special ceremony in Madrid earlier today.

Pedrosa will start the new season in Qatar on April 7 as one of the big pre-season title favourites after his best premier class campaign in 2012.

The former 125GP and 250GP world champion won seven races last season, which included a hot streak in the second half of the campaign when he stormed to the top of the podium in six of the last eight races.

Marquez arrives in MotoGP to huge hype and anticipation after he romped to the Moto2 world title in 2012. The teenager has the big task of replacing retired double MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner but he is been widely tipped to make an instant impact in his rookie season.

HRC boss Shuhei Nakamoto told a packed press conference this morning that he believed Marquez has the potential to kick off his MotoGP career with a podium on his debut under the Losail International Circuit floodlights in Qatar in early April.

Nakamoto also added that he was confident HRC could challenge for the second 1000cc world title and that he believed Pedrosa could deliver his first MotoGP crown in what will be his eighth season as an official Honda rider.