For two seasons now, Honda has been the big subscriber absent from the front rows in MotoGP, and this slump began when Marc Marquez found himself unavailable due to his serious injury contracted during the 2020 edition of the Grand Prix of Spain in Jerez. This coincidence, the eight-time World Champion does not deny it, because his hold on the evolution of the RC213V has consequently loosened, leaving the HRC as if helpless. However, the Spaniard does not consider that he was single-handedly the key element in what looks like a collapse. Because all these events also occurred at the time of the transition from a world before to the one after, a shift ultimately detrimental to all Japanese manufacturers...
The trend had already been asserting itself for some time but it has become obvious in this 2022 season where Ducati has won everything from WSBK to MotoGP. But not only. This period clearly revealed the takeover of the competition by the Europeans, their working method and their ability to react spiced up by a frenetic inventiveness undermining the cold Japanese pragmatism which had prevailed until then. For three years, Ducati is at the top of the MotoGP manufacturers' standings. And this year, the coveted drivers' title was won.
There are many reasons why Japanese brands ended up falling behind, suffering and ultimately failing. According to Marc Marquez, the coronavirus pandemic also played a role. On Motorsport-total, he explains : " Globally, the pandemic has affected our sport. Once the lockdown ended, we saw that Asian factories – Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki – were the most affected. I think it hit them harder because in 2020 and 2021 the majority of the championship was in Europe ».
Marc Marquez: “ you also have to adapt to the environment, otherwise you will be overtaken«
He adds : " Asian engineers came to Europe and lived here. They were no longer in the factory, so communication and work level were more difficult ". But this is an observation, not an excuse, because he immediately adds: “ you also have to adapt to the environment, otherwise you will be overtaken. Maybe because of the protocols and all that, there were bigger circumstances that they couldn't adapt tor. Honda worked and they continue to work because normality has also returned to their country ».
Marc Marquez finished : " hopefully they can take a big step forward in 2023. I can't blame them. I see that they are making maximum effort ". But the Spaniard does not give his discharge here either since he warns: “ there is of course also the fact that they have to do every step correctly »...
