Honda’s fortunes in 2025 were a 💮key topic on the latest🍷 Crash MotoGP podcast.

Honda have appointed Romano Albesiano as new technical director, anꦬd have Aleix Espargaro and Takaaki Nakagami as test riders.

Their factory duo will again be 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Luca Marini and Joan Mir - who badly struggled in 2024 - while LCR’s 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Johann Zarco will be joined by rookie 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Somkiat Chantra.

But the problems at the manufacturer are at🍬 a higher level, our experts explained.

“They seem to🧸 lack a ‘head coach’ figure, like Max Bartolini has become [for Yamaha]. Honda don’t seem to have that,” Lewis Duncan told our podcast.

“They have a bulldog in Alberto Puig who defends the rider and the situation, but not someone who can unify the ridersꦓ.

“Joan Mir is miserable all the time. Why did he sign a new contract? He says that he didn’t want to leave it on that note. But if he’s not enjoying it and🌳 is being negative all the time…

“Honda doesn’t have 🦩a leader. Maybe Johann Zarco fills that role, he was better spoken than their other riders, more level-headed and certainly more competitive.

“It’s hard to know where Honda go, and what impact Rom✅ano Albesiano can have. The base package had nothing to do with him so he’ll have to spend time untanglin💧g it.

“I don’t see Honda making tangible st🌸eps this year. There were little signs of progress towards the end of last year, but only for Zarco.

“I thin🐻k if Honda can be in the points every weekend, it will be a s🙈uccess. But to get to the level that Yamaha might be at? Difficult.”

Honda told about key area to improve

Peter McLaren added: “How will much♔ influence will Albesi🌸ano and Aleix have on the bike?

“It’s one thing to bring people in. Honda hired🐠 a lot of engineers, they work with Kalex, but it hasn’t transformed the fortunes of the bike.

“The key for Honda to begin with will be not to take a step backwards, like last year. That’s what ruined the first half of last season, the wrong direction in testin꧅g.

“If they can, a🔥t least, pick up where they left off…

“Riders with more experience of the bike - Zarco and ⛦Marini - should also help.

“Marc Marquez was asked ‘what’s theꦚ difference between Ducati and Honda as a factory rider?’

“꧋He said ‘communication’. Gigi D𝔉all’Igna ties all the things together at Ducati.

“It’s these areas that Honꦓda need to make a step in.

“It comes down to what foundation they have after testing. 🉐Aleix has already been𒐪 testing this year, and he had a few last year.

“We’ll know after🔯 Bur💛iram and Sepang what kind of step. Will they make a leap forward?

“Maybe there is something [that Albesiano can do] by🎀 looking at the bike, saying ‘do it like this’, which will give ♍them a couple of tenths per lap. It’s possible.

“The top Honda in 12t♏h-place in the championship wou♛ld be a good result. Zarco was 17th [last year].

“You can always have one-off results in MotoGP, we saw it wi꧒th Alex Rins at COTA.

“But realistically they’ve got to look at step-by-step. But, the first thing, is not to tak𒈔e a step back…”