Xavi Vierge is entering his third season in the World Superbike Championship, where he arrived in 2022 as an official Honda rider. The journey has not been easy, with the manufacturer seeking to substantially improve performance and results, similar to what is happening in MotoGP.
In an interview with Motosan.es, the Spanish rider was asked if he feels any difference in the way of working compared to European manufacturers, to which he replied:
– I have only been able to work with one factory in this case, which is Honda. And from day one, they have been working non-stop. Currently, it’s the best factory in the world for me. It’s just a matter of time until we are where we deserve to be. From day one, the goal for every team member has been nothing other than winning, and they are working hard to get there as soon as possible.
With that said, Vierge acknowledged that the task is challenging, but there is total commitment to it: ‘It’s obvious that it’s not easy, otherwise, everyone would do it, and it’s obvious that right now we are going through a very difficult time, not only here in Superbike, but there is no alternative but to continue striving, continue to extract the most from what we have, and trust that as soon as possible we will find something that puts us there’.
Could there be a communication problem at the root of Honda’s difficulties in progressing? The rider commented: ‘It’s complicated. Ultimately, both Kawasaki and Yamaha, so to speak, have always been here in Superbike. Honda as a factory team returned a few years ago. And it’s clear that we are struggling to catch up. In fact, looking from the outside, there aren’t many changes in the paddock. It’s obvious that Ducati is making a difference, but I would say that this year Yamaha and Kawasaki, looking from the outside, have the same bike that has always worked and continues to work to some extent, let’s say. BMW seems to have improved a lot, of course, and we seem to be getting there, but ultimately, the progress we make, others also make, and that leaves us more or less in the same place’.
Despite Honda being far from the results it has achieved in the past, Vierge assured that motivation is not lacking: ‘In the first years, we were regularly able to be within the top six, and now it seems that when we perform really well, we can get close to the tenth. That’s our reality right now, and we have to accept it. It’s obvious that we haven’t lost motivation or confidence; we remain committed as we are because what I’m saying is that we have the potential, both the team and us, the riders, and we have to turn things around’.