Honda's MotoGP crisis seems to drag on, especially after a disastrous Grand Prix of the Americas where none of its riders scored a point, and only Luca Marini crossed the finish line in both the Sprint and of the main race. After three events, Honda is anchored in last place in the constructors' championship with just eight points, and its teams, LCR Honda and Repsol Honda, are also languishing at the bottom of the team standings.
Joan mir, team driver Repsol Honda, admitted to Austin that the direction taken in the development of the motorcycle was not the right one and that the persistent problems seemed insoluble. Charles Pernat, a paddock veteran with a 40-year career, expressed his dismay at the Japanese team's situation: “ it's a disaster. I've never seen this in 40 years; they deplore a lot of falls, and this is a notable decline. Marini's decision to join the team was a good one in terms of contract, with a factory bike at stake, but it also represents a huge risk for his mental health »
« It appears that the Honda's former strengths have waned, while its weaknesses have become more pronounced. »
Exactly, Marina, who is in his fourth season in MotoGP, is having a far from ideal start to the year. Despite his efforts, he is the only one to have finished the races at Austin, highlighting a series of non-scores which is the worst of his young career in the premier category. The Italian, accustomed to being a regular top ten contender, and who achieved his first podiums and poles in 2022 and 2023, scored no points in the first three Grands Prix this year.
He explains his situation on Motoracing : " I have ideas about the direction we should take. Japanese engineers have all the data and are taking the same approach. I am doing my best to provide the most accurate feedback possible to technicians. It's not just one thing, it's everything.. Compared to the past, it seems that the old strengths of the bike have weakened, while the weaknesses have become more pronounced. We need new developments in all areas, But that will take time »
This series of poor performances at the start of the season is unprecedented for Marini, nevertheless recalling his difficulties in Moto2, where he also experienced an end to the 2017 season without scoring points in the last six races.
