Last Tuesday, the Circuit de Barcelona hosted the first MotoGP collective tests of the 2025 pre-season, during which Alex Marquezwith Gresini's Ducati GP24, achieved the best time. One of the central points has been the new prototypes for next season, notably those of Yamaha and Honda, the teams that are suffering the most and whose dealerships are completely open.
However, ultimately, Joan Mir He assured that the Japanese manufacturer had not contributed anything to the official test. “The reality is that I didn't have many things to try, I had tried everything before. “We expect more from a test as important as this, that of the end of the season,” lamented the Mallorcan with more than obvious anger.
Alberto Puig, HRC team manager in MotoGP, was in the same vein as Mir.
“It made no sense to bring the prototype for testing, during the year we tested a lot of things, and it made no sense to bring a “black” motorcycle, while we “We had a “black” motorcycle for most of the year.”appreciated the former pilot.
Luca Marini, Honda Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Even though Honda's argument seemed clear, Luca MariniMir's partner in the official formation, took a radically different path in his statements.
“Even I thought I had nothing, but I had a lot of things to try, a completely new bike,” said the Italian rider..
“Obviously, when you put a new prototype on the track, it can't immediately go faster than the other one. It's normal that we start from further away, but I just wanted to concentrate on this one,” said said Marini, who showed his surprise by Mir's words.
“There was no point in retesting the bike from the weekend, for which we had all the references. There is something positive, which could be good for next year. They did a very good job in some aspects, but in others, things are still in bad shape, so we must continue to give our feedback and ideas,” continued the brother of. Valentino Rossi.
Next week, Tuesday and Wednesday, Marini will be in Jerez to carry out private tests, and he hopes that in Sepang, in February, first tests of 2025, Honda will have more news.
“The one I tested today will be one of the two bikes we have at Sepang and I think we will start with that base. Then, if they have the strength to make another one, it will be the welcome, but I haven't spoken about it, we have other priorities, there will surely be many other things to do, said the boy from Pesaro. “For me the direction has been very clear since mid-season, it just takes time and for the right people to follow it, which in my opinion has already arrived.”
Those who have “arrived” are the new Italian technical chief, Christian Pupulin, who comes from KTM, where he was with Jack Miller; the new technical director, Romano Albesiano, who at the moment cannot work with Honda in the field because he has a contract with Aprilia until the end of the year, and the new test rider, the recently retired Aleix Espargaro.
Luca Marini, Honda Racing, and his new track engineer, Cristhian Pupulin
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Next week, in Jerez, Honda will carry out two days of private testing where Marini, Mir and Espargaró will meet.
“I am very happy with all the new engineers who have arrived. I think they will bring a lot of new ideas and knowledge. I don't know exactly how many people they have hired, but they are all very good and competent. At the same time time, we are waiting for Romano Albesiano, when he comes out of his contract, I think it will be the last piece that will make the difference for us next year,” he says.
Among these new features, the presence of a rider like Espargaró stands out.
“I spoke with him a little bit during the day. In my opinion he was very strong and I think it was very interesting that he was able to test the bike here in Barcelona, which is his favorite circuit, where he always been fast and achieved great results with the Aprilia “I think he can help us improve our bike. He has several interesting ideas, although for some things I think he still needs to gain experience on the RC213V, which is very different from the other bikes,” he says.
Marini, who finished his first season as an official Honda factory rider, last in the general classification (22nd) with only 14 points and only four crashes throughout the season.finished 18th in times recorded during the test, 1.4 behind Alex Márquez and behind John Zarco (10th), Espargaró (14th) and Mir (15th), the Mallorcan who also highlighted the time of the new test rider, despite the bike's obvious lack of grip and rear traction.
“The truth is yes. When you think about everything that needs to be fixed and what we're missing, to think that we're only a second away is a lot. It makes you think that if we can fix it, we can reach Ducati's level.. But the problem is getting it. This is the most difficult part of our sport and our job in general. When everything is in place, obviously everything will be easier,” hopes the VR46 Riders Academy rider.
Luca Marini, Honda Racing, is pushed into the pit lane by one of Honda's new technicians, Jacques Roca, after his bike stopped during one of the starts on track.
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
