The pandemic at the beginning of 2020 led the MotoGP promoter, in agreement with the manufacturers, to the freezing of the engines for the constructors without concessions, and that brake on evolution, together with the serious injury of Marc Márquez in July of that year which kept him out for almost a year, left Honda seriously affected.
With the return of the six-time MotoGP champion, and with the thawing of development for 2022, it seemed that HRC was beginning to straighten the course, but a new injury to Marc, this time an eye injury, has once again put at risk the direction to follow in the work of the Tokyo engineers.
Motorsport.com was able to hold this Friday afternoon, at the end of the two days of three official 2022 pre-season tests in Jerez, a conversation with Alberto Puig , the team’s Team Manager and sporting chief, who was satisfied with the work and hopeful in the future.
“We have tried a bike that is an evolution of the one we already tried in the Misano test (September 21 and 22), we have seen good things, others that we do not like so much, but the important thing is that we have found a clear direction for follow the development”, explained Puig, who at no time wanted to go into the details of what was being tested.
Honda presented two 2022 bikes, both painted black, which were used on Thursday by Alex Márquez and Takaaki Nakagami, the Japanese being the fastest of the day. On Friday the two bikes went to Pol Espargaró’s garage, who was also very fast with the prototype that Nakagami had ridden the day before.
“The conclusions are positive because we have found a direction in which to continue the work. When the bike is tested by different riders and each one tells you a different thing, it is very complicated, but fortunately, the opinion of our riders is very much on par, and this is very important, because you realize that the work we started in Misano and what was said then that we would try to do for this test in Jerez , has worked, and that is positive”, remarks Puig.
The work with the 2022 bike started in Misano, where Marc Márquez was, who was unable to ride in Jerez due to injury, so it is understood that the indications of the Cervera rider have been very present in the development of the bike
“Yes, yes, of course, obviously. He is the one who knows the bike best and of course he is. But if you have four riders you should try to collect as much information as possible from all of them, the more data you have the more you can analyze during the winter”.
An absence that, however, has not changed the way of working.
“No, the work system is that of Honda, in our own way. It is undeniable that Marc’s absence is a handicap, but we are lucky to have three other riders of a very high level who also understand the bike”.
The Honda Team Manager was satisfied with the performance of his riders.
“The three riders have done an excellent job, in the absence of Marc, of course, but fantastic, they have worked hard”.
“In the Misano test, the first time we tested this prototype, things were missing, some things are still missing, but we have been going in the right direction, sometimes you get lost and when you arrive at the Sepang test (February) you don’t know where you are. I want think, and I do, that with the data from these two days we are heading in the right direction”.
After two years without evolution of engines due to freezing due to COVID-19, in which Honda has suffered a stagnation in its prototype, the 2022 bike should be a turning point to regain competitiveness, although Puig does not want to anticipate events. “I don’t know, but I hope so.”
Ducati , which has finished the season at an excellent level, also led the test and presented many new features, some of them aerodynamic. However, the executive did not want to assess what the other manufacturers presented in the test.
“Honestly, I don’t know what the others are doing, nor is it an issue that worries me much. The important thing is that we try to find the direction we have, we know that if we solve our problems we can have options to win. I have only looked at our bike Throughout the test I have been absolutely aware of our bike to see if it improved or not, and in the end we have achieved a clear path and direction. I insist, the most important thing is that the three riders who have tested the bike have made the same comments , and that’s the most important thing,” settled the Honda boss.
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