Since the start of this season, relations between Ducati and Honda in MotoGP have been a little tense. The fault lies with this complaint against the deflector located on the swinging arm which deteriorated the atmosphere between the two camps, to the point of taking their rivalry beyond the simple competition field. So much so that between the Tokyo brand and the Borgo Panigale manufacturer, there is no longer even a summer break...
The proof with this release ofAlberto puig, team manager of the Repsol Honda team, regarding an interpretation made by Paolo ciabatti of Ducati, on the work of the HRC on its RC213V. A work which would be oriented towards the sole Marc Márquez. The Italian and sporting director of the Reds in fact highlighted the lack of solid results from Honda apart from the achievements of Márquez. In fact, he said his team's fight was only about the reigning world champion.
« Honda designed a motorcycle for Márquez, but behind it there is always a Yamaha or a Ducati, never a Honda » he commented. “ So it is with Márquez that we must fight ". An interpretation which also undermines the cohesion within the Honda club, since the three other drivers, and among them the new recruit Jorge Lorenzo, would, in fact, only be a negligible quantity.
The danger is there, and Alberto puig understood it well. He therefore sharply replied this to the Reds: “ I think Ciabatti should see all the 500cc races and MotoGP races won by Honda, all the titles » Puig said in an interview with the Spanish television channel El Confindencial. “ He would have to review the story and probably he wouldn't see it that way.".
« What is clear is that Ducati, after all its worthy efforts has only won one championship, as everyone knows, with Casey Stoner in 2007. The effort that Ducati dedicates to this championship, for what it brings him as a result is, in my opinion, totally unbalanced. What I do know is that Márquez won with this bike, as did Stoner, Mick Doohan, Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, Alex Crivillé, Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi. With Honda, everyone has won a championship. With the Ducati, a man won a year, in special circumstances ».
Marc Márquez has won five of the last six premier class titles aboard the RC213V. He is well on his way to his sixth title in 2019 after a fifth victory of the season in Germany last weekend, putting him 58 points ahead of Andrea Dovizioso, official Ducati.
However, only Cal Crutchlow, of satellite team LCR, completed Honda's podiums this year with two third places, giving him the only top-five result on a bike he has repeatedly criticized as being far too difficult to run in the turns...
