If there is one manufacturer that will be expected at the turn of the next Sepang tests which will mark the first MotoGP run in 2022, it is Honda. The world's leading manufacturer has just suffered two seasons of crisis which correspond to as many months of convalescence for its champion Marc Marquez. The 2021 financial year was marked by too many crashes by its other pilots to take sole responsibility for them. A new RC213V is arriving but will be presented without the eight-time World Champion who is still convalescing...
An absence which doesn't bode well. But HRC can no longer afford to suffer while waiting for the return of Marc Marquez. So a more consensual RC213V is expected while for 2023, we are flirting fabio quartararo et Joan mir, the last two titles to date. The Tokyo brand has once again proven itself dependent on Marc Marquez, the only one to have successfully exploited the RC213V. Despite his physical condition, he took her to victory 3 times, plus another podium in 2021.
Meanwhile, the newcomer Pol Espargaro has never been at his level, with the exception of a podium and a pole which seemed more exceptional than symptoms of growth. The worst happened to Alex Marquez et Takaaki Nakagami, never in the positions that count, neither in qualifying nor in the race.
Sepang and Honda: “ improving motorcycle performance is not so easy nowadays«
Alberto puig, Honda team director commented harshly Motorsport-total : " improving motorcycle performance is not so easy nowadays. What is needed are very small steps in different areas. But these steps sometimes take a long time. They are simple, very difficult to implement. And the benefit they bring is not huge ».
« As for us ", declared the team director Honda, who are " we have analyzed our weaknesses and of course we will work to remedy them. Honda, as a company, has always been keen to explore new ways to improve motorcycling as a whole ».
« But it's not like working in many different fields automatically means a huge step forward. It is not so simple »Warns Puig who concludes: “ the most important thing is to know your problem, solve it, understand it and work on it. That’s exactly what we’re trying to do.”
