Honda has been working secretly to improve its MotoGP bike for the 2024 season. They did some tests but didn’t get all the changes they wanted at the Barcelona race.
Johann Zarco used a new aerodynamic package in the race. Mir and Luca Marini had an updated engine. But these changes didn’t help much. In fact, the best Honda rider was Takaaki Nakagami, who finished 14th.
The Barcelona track is not good for Honda because it doesn’t have much grip. Mir said the new engine made things worse. But he thinks it’s a step Honda needs to take to get better in the future.
Mir said, “It was a nightmare. I felt bad all weekend. I expected it to be tough here. The new engine has more spin, and the top speed is lower. In other races, I could keep up with the top riders, but not here. We took a step back to move forward in the future. But for now, it’s tough.”
Marini also had similar thoughts. He said the new upgrade made the bike spin more, which is a problem. But he feels better riding the bike now compared to earlier in the season.
He said, “The spin is a problem for everyone on this track. But overall, the bike is better now. I can enjoy riding it more. We still need more upgrades to improve performance. Maybe we’ll get something at Mugello.”
