When MotoGP has finished settling in Jerez to compete in a Spanish Grand Prix which will open its fourth round of the 21 on its calendar, it will be marked by an unprecedented situation coming from Honda with the Alex Rins case. Indeed, if the brand's first driver is in an encouraging third position in the general classification, he is not Marc Marquez. His name is Alex Rins, he is nestled within the LCR satellite team, and he is ahead of the natural leader at HRC since 2013 by 40 points. So much so that before the eight-time winner thinks about his ninth coronation, he will have to take back control at home. And it might not be as simple as that...
Marc Marquez had one goal in mind at the start of this 2023 MotoGP season which he approached in acceptable physical shape for the first time in too long, and that was the title. Although at the press conference for the inaugural Grand Prix in Portugal he had not even mentioned himself as a potential candidate, his subsequent displays on the Portimao track, for better or for worse , showed that he was not there to string pearls.
Yes but it didn't turn out as usual at Honda. Certainly, we know the agonies of the fall and the injuries of its leader, but we discovered another pilot, alex rins, who made this extraordinary speech that the RC213V was not so bad as long as we took care of it differently... And the former Suzuki didn't just talk. He demonstrated on the trackAustin by actions the merits of his approach.
Surprising? For those who know him well, not at all. And Manu Cazeaux, his former chief engineer from the time of Suzuki, now at Aprilia next to Maverick Vinales, explain why Marc Marquez should be wary of anyone who has won 50% of the last six races made up of the last three of 2022 and the first three of 2023… « When it comes to Alex Rins' talent, I don't think anyone can have many doubts and I don't find out now either » he said on Motorsport.
« At Suzuki we have educated Alex Rins to think about himself and not so much about the bike and thus not lose his concentration with variables that he cannot control »
He also explains that he went to a good school…: “ he is a very classy pilot. I think what brought Alex to this moment with Honda is that at Suzuki we educated him to think about himself and not so much about the bike. Lately, I heard him say that the bike is not that bad, that it has potential and I think this allows him to stay calm, not lose his concentration with variables that he cannot control ».
It will be recalled that the victory of Kidneys au Grand Prix of the Americas ended a period of scarcity for Honda dating back to the 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, after which HRC recorded its second winless campaign in three years. His victory also marked the team's first LCR since the 2018 Argentine Grand Prix, which was also the last time a driver Honda who was not Marc Marquez stood on the top step of the podium for the brand. In this case, it was Cal Crutchlow.
