During the off-season, Honda was already thinking about finding a driver more or less of the caliber of its leader Marc Marquez, a dimension that his current teammate Pol Espargaró had not managed to take after his complicated first year at HRC. With the return of the eight-time World Champion, this subject was put on the back burner but it is now coming back into full light with the injury returning to the daily life of the eight-time World Champion. Things have even accelerated since…
And this is the kind of subject that is of great interest Charles Pernat. Because the Italian is a columnist but he is also, and perhaps especially given the field covered, a driver manager. We are talking here about the current championship leader on the Ducati Gresini, i.e. Enea Bastianini. Rumor cites him among those Honda would approach to strengthen its workforce. A scenario that does not please Charles Pernat and he makes it known on Mowmag : " no contact from Honda for Enea, but other brands yes. Among other things, I would never send him to a 100% Spanish team because it hasn't gone well in the past and anyway he has already said that his priority is to stay with Ducati. Let's leave Enea alone instead ».
On the other hand, the Italian is willing to talk about the three other names peddled by the rumors going around. Let's start with Fabio Quartararo : " I think that in the end Quartararo, despite a thousand stomach aches, will stay where it is, perhaps with a few more guarantees than everyone else and a very, very, convincing salary ". And for Joan mir ? " It is true that the former world champion seemed, in recent times, much closer than ever to confirming with Suzuki, but it is also true that if Honda really calls you to its factory team, you hardly say no. He is probably the driver in pole position at the moment because his characteristics could also go very well with those of the RC213V ».
Honda: Carlo Pernat bets on Jorge Martin and… Pedro Acosta!
And then there is George Martin : “ it's also a name Honda is definitely considering. He is young, aggressive, acrobatic and, last but not least, he is Spanish. The ideal profile I would say. Among other things, he has already said that if Ducati does not give him an official motorcycle, he might look around. I wouldn't be surprised if there has already been an approach between Martin's manager and HRC ». Most Feathered always puts the finishing touch on a discussion… “ I wouldn't be surprised if Honda went for the dramatic twist by betting everything on Pedro Acosta. It's true that he is not a top driver, that he is very young and that he has to prove everything, but it would be a coup in every way, because the HRC would end up guaranteeing the most crystalline promise in motorcycle racing without too much disturbing the sensitivity of Marc Marquez, who would not feel replaced ».
KTM is warned, already that the Austrians must keep an eye on what Raul fernandez made with Yamaha …By the way, if George Martin was leaving for Honda, this would free up space for Enea Bastianini towards the red Ducati. But this probably did not escape his manager Carlo Pernat...
