Causes Of Honda To Continue To Languish In The 2022 Season, Dependence On Marc Marquez Is One Of Them

Repsol Honda rider, Marc Marquez. (Doc. MotoGP)

JAKARTA - Honda Racing Team test rider Stefan Bradl did not deny that the Japanese factory team had languished in the last few seasons in MotoGP. The peak of Honda's difficulties occurred until the halfway break of the 2022 season.

Apart from not being able to win races, the Honda team's RC213V motorcycle is also often hit by problems. Bradl, admitted that there was a strange problem in Honda's camp.

Quoted from Speedweek, Bradl said the problem was increasingly felt in the last Spanish MotoGP series. Because there are many Honda riders who fall in the same way.

According to Bradl, one of the causes of the accident was a matter of the front wheels. This was seen during the FP3 session at Jerez. Both Marc Marquez, Pol Espargaro and Stefan Bradl both fell because of the front wheel.

“In this second gear corner, the front wheel slipped very early. Totally without warning, that's our problem right now," Bradl said.

“There is no warning on the front wheel. Then suddenly make a 'slap' and you're lying there!” recalls Bradl.

“This front wheel slide is a common problem for us at Honda. So far we don't know exactly how we can control this problem. We can only continue to work and try to improve the situation."

Then many questions arose regarding the performance of the Honda team. Answering that, Bradl tried to explain the situation and the workings of Honda which he considered less courageous in rapid development.

"At the moment it's not easy for Japanese manufacturers to develop everything quickly enough and react according to new requirements," said Bradl.

“In this case, the Japanese may be a bit more conservative. They are not as big as Ducati, Aprilia or KTM. They don't dare to try big changes."

"Besides, Japan is still more restrained and constrained than Europeans due to the Corona situation," Bradl added.

Furthermore, Bradl also said, Honda's current situation was also more or less influenced by the state of their champion, Marc Marquez, who was sidelined to recover from an injury.

Marquez is clearly influential in the development of the team's bike. Marquez's comments or testimonials when testing the motorbike on the track will greatly affect the technician's part.

"Yes, of course the direction of development is always determined by the leader. Marc (Marquez) did it for many years. So you have to understand a little bit what Marc likes and what he likes to do," he said.

"There are many aspects that then have to fit together (between the rider leader and the technicians in the paddock)," explained the German rider.