Honda has fallen behind the MotoGP curve in recent times and will be relegated again in 2024, finishing last in the Constructors’ Championship for a third consecutive season.
For the first time in their history, their riders failed to finish in the top 10 and none of them made it into the 20 rider rankings.
They are far from their last title win. Mark Marquez In the year in 2019 – their sixth crown in seven years at the time.
Hondas The stubbornness and reluctance to poach engineers from competing groups will affect them as they continue to hold onto a Japanese-oriented workforce.
even if KTM Recently faced with financial difficulties, they have taken Formula 1-style for hire and helped them to greatly improve their bikes.
Luca Marini doubted that Honda could catch Ducati In the year Before the current rules expire in 2026, although it will make some progress in late 2024.
Honda’s ‘lost’ key Ducati system that gives MotoGP advantage
New satellite team rider Johan Zarco found out that Honda’s 2025 bike could be worse than the previous one in the private test for the LCR at the Jerez circuit.
It gives little hope going into the next campaign with what are expected to be back markers again.
Read more: Lucio Cecchinello gives ‘huge’ approval to Honda for putting Somkiat Chantra on the LCR.
Luis Zuniga believes. Ducati A testing system, where you can immediately tell if any improvement will work, is something Honda lacks.
“Espargaro, as good as he is, cannot make a difference (as a test rider). Let’s go back to Ducati. Take Michel Piro for example, Rosso’s test rider does a lot of kilometres.
“Naturally he has his own opinion on the bike, but the analysis is done by the engineers. They create a system that immediately identifies whether an innovation will bring benefits or not. As far as I know, this is missing at Honda.”
When will Honda’s big MotoGP break come?
With no drastic changes, Honda seems destined to stay at the back of the pack for the foreseeable future.
Their bikes are comfortably off the pace and the only thing that could shake up the field at short notice is the new set of rules.
Read more: Johannes Zarco shares what Aleix Espargaro is ‘not allowed to say’ after 2025 Honda MotoGP test
It means the rules will change again ahead of the 2027 season, but the Japanese manufacturer could face two more difficult years before they are back on track.
Honda are set to sign Francesco Bagnaia for 2027. It will be a major coup for their project.
His experience and understanding of development may be exactly what they need to get back to the front of the grid.
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