LCR Honda has two riders in different conditions as Johann Zarco is secured until 2025, but the situation of Takaaki Nakagami, who doesn’t have a contract beyond 2024, is different… but maybe not. Lucio Cechinello doesn’t put any blame on the japanese rider, considering it’s not ‘his fault’ that the results don’t come, wishing instead to get fix the problems first before anything else.
The Team Principal of LCR Honda addressed the situation of both riders, quoted on Motosan, and revelead the structure is set to continue with Honda for more years to come: ‘With the Frenchman we have a two-year contract, while with Nakagami we don’t. At the moment we have a commitment with Honda for 2025 and we are discussing the renewal’.
Still the italian assured that the japanese isn’t showing competitive results but not by his own fault, and that replacing him is not a priority at this point: ‘As for Nakagami, it is premature to talk about replacements, since there are other priorities’.
He recalled his previous results at Jerez and also had a brief word on Luca Marini, highlighting the goal is to ‘fix’ the RC213V first: ‘Of course, the lack of results is not your fault. Let’s remember that he was fourth in 2020 right here in Jerez and now we are last. The same goes for Marini. Before thinking about changing riders, we have to fix the bike’.