Marc Marquez is working hard to return to his best level and it is the same at Honda, currently last manufacturer ranked in MotoGP. 2023 will have to show another face closer to the luster of yesteryear, but this ambition had already been displayed for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, which, on the contrary, only pushed the increasingly feathered winged coat of arms a little further. . However, next year should be the right window because the eight-time World Champion will undoubtedly have recovered most of his resources and, above all, will enter the last period of his contract which runs until 2024. year when Repsol will also reflect again on the continuation of its involvement. The game promises to be even tighter as at HRC, we are in a hurry on the new bike which will change everything...
In MotoGP today, it is Ducati which imposes a technical tempo that only the compatriot Aprilia seems to follow more or less regularly. The rest of the board rows to be level. At the house of KTM we seem to be on the right track while at Yamaha , you have to listen to the test driver and still green Cal Crutchlow to learn that at the motor level, we are experiencing a fourth evolution. While waiting for new developments in other areas, and in particular the entire chassis.
Et Honda ? Morals have changed in the industry and the facts have confirmed the certainty that in terms of responsiveness and inventiveness, the world's leading manufacturer did not have its equivalent in the world of motorcycles. The giant is borrowed today, a Gulliver brought to the ground by the frenetic activity of Italian Lilliputians, industrially speaking. Worse, the problem is not just a question of scale. The spirit, the philosophy, the outdated approach are all burdens for Japanese sumo who would almost pass for a retard.
After having regretted the technical path cleared by Ducati and since become a unique path towards a minimum of success, the brand Honda decided to draw inspiration from the songs put in place by Gigi Dall'Igna. But apparently it's not that simple if you listen to a Marc Marquez leaving Malaysia to join Valencia, the last event on the calendar, but also a new Grand Prix which will be partly dedicated to tests with a view to 2023… “ In Sepang, we lacked grip and engine, and when you're in a situation like that, you have problems » comments the man who has 100 podiums in MotoGP. “ I can go fast on a lap, but on the race distance it's something else. If you combine that with two very long straights, then you're wasting too much time ».
Marc Marquez: “ we're only going to have one chance, so far we haven't been able to test the new bike«
He adds : " all Honda riders had braking problems. If you look at the photos from the weekend, you will see that several times I braked with the rear wheel in the air, and it's not good if you want to go fast. I tried the rear wings, but only in FP4. In Valencia I will try them again. I don't know if we'll have more new stuff in the box that we haven't seen yet ».
An uncertainty that undermines him: “ we collected a lot of information and I gave them as much feedback as possible. Now is the time to work hard and find solutions ". And he warns that he is not fooled. He clearly noticed that time was passing too quickly for the HRC: “ at the Misano test, all factories normally bring next year's bike " mentioned Marc Marquez.
« We are late, and Honda knows it. We're only going to have one chance, so far we haven't been able to test the new bike, and we still don't know if we will try it in Valencia. If they have something new, of course it will be very useful. Honda works. We lack power, but we also have to find a compromise between speed and maneuverability » he estimates before concluding: “ I still have two years on my contract, I would like to stay at HRC forever, but I also want to win ". The countdown is on, but we will still specify that Honda waited for the return of his king to validate his new features in MotoGP. However, he only returned from Aragon.
