The 2024 season is proving to be a real challenge for the Honda team in MotoGP, a reality that was clearly demonstrated at the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin. Once a fortress of Honda victories, this track did not spare the HRC drivers this year, letting them leave Texas without a single point, a big blow for the team. Additionally, the announcement of a potentially game-changing new engine for this season raises limited hopes for a turnaround.
The four pilots Honda, Johann zarco, Joan Mir, Taka Nakagami and Luca Marini, suffered a series of disappointing poor performances in Texas, notably finishing in the last four places in qualifying with a delay of more than two seconds on the leaders, a considerable gap in a sport where every fraction tenth count.
Faced with these difficulties, the team is looking for solutions, particularly with regard to the engine. Joan mir confirmed that work is underway: “ Yes, they are also working on it for this season ". However, Luca Marini tempered expectations by emphasizing that the engine is just one element in need of improvement: “ it's time to bring something new on all levels, it's not just the engine ».
The Honda pilots do not see a miracle recipe: “ with the motor you can't solve all the balance »
Takaaki Nakagami, pilot of the satellite team Honda LCR, expressed on motorcyclesports doubts about the ability of a new engine to solve all the current problems of the motorcycle: “ I hope so, but I can't say where this low potential comes from.. Maybe you say, 'maybe from the engine'. And a motor solves the problem for everything. I hope so, but at the moment I don't feel that way, because with the engine you can't solve all the balance, the feel in the front, or the grip in the rear. There are many problems at the moment ».
The next test sessions in Catalonia will only see the participation of factory and official test drivers. Nakagami et zarco, for their part, will take back control in Jerez for the Spanish Grand Prix, a crucial moment to test potential advances and hope for a reversal of the current trend.
