Following the presentation of his MotoGP 2021 team, the Repsol Honda team broadcast an interview with Tetsuhiro Kuwata, the Director of the HRC.
On the one hand, we can assume that the Japanese does not handle the language of Shakespeare with great ease despite his past in Formula 1, but on the other hand, we can be certain that the communications department of the Repsol Honda team has validated the video…
Whatever happens, the boss of the Honda Racing Corporation wants to be very optimistic about the return of Marc Marquez, which he is already announcing more loudly than before.
We can only wish him!
What did Honda learn during the difficult 2020 season and how has it impacted plans for 2021?
Tetsuhiro Kuwata, HRC Director: “ The Covid disaster has had a big effect on us. So it's not an easy time and it's not just for Honda but for everyone. This also concerns our sponsor and everyone. Right now we are just focused on our goal and trying to give our best for this season. The negative side is that a lot of things happened, the results weren't very good and Marc got injured. But for us, on the other hand, there are also positive things. We were able to learn a lot of things and how to react in this kind of situation, and we were also able to learn a lot from a technical point of view. So we learned a lot for the future and we are now focused to see the 2021 season. We have prepared the best bike for 2021 and we are just trying to get back to our past position. »
With engine development frozen for 2021, what are Honda's plans to continue progressing?
« This is a very demanding thing for us. Normally we can develop the engine every year but with the special regulations we cannot develop the engine for the next two years. This is why we are focused on continuing development in other areas, although we may continue to develop certain aspects of the engine such as exhausts and certain specifications. So we will try to make progress in this area and we can also change a lot of things regarding the chassis. So we learned a lot from our drivers and we tried to improve our weak points. Our approach does not present any major changes with the exception of what concerns motor development. »
What do you think of Marc Márquez's situation at the start of the new season?
« Unfortunately, Marc suffered a serious injury last year at the start of the season and he needed time to heal his injuries. But on the other hand, although he had a lot of difficult times, he also became stronger than before. So he will come back this year much stronger than before and our goal always remains the same: quite simply to win races and win the championship. »
