The Repsol Honda Team has not secured any MotoGP victories since 2022. For the first time, they failed to reach the top step of the podium last year, with only the LCR Honda satellite team preventing a completely winless year for the Japanese manufacturer.
For 2024, the goal is to start turning things around, with the duo of riders composed of Joan Mir and Luca Marini. As such, there has been diligent work to improve the bike – visibly different from its predecessor. But when might victories be within reach again?
That’s what Alberto Puig, team manager, was asked, and he began by saying: ‘I wish I knew. But what is evident, and to be objective, we have to consider that we’ve come from a low point. The past few years haven’t gone well for many reasons, and now we really see that the groundwork has been laid to start a true recovery. Concessions have been made so that those who aren’t in the right place can get there to make the championship even more exciting and balanced. And we will try to make use of this’.
The Spaniard would like to see the riders capable of fighting for the top three positions around mid-season: ‘We sincerely hope that during the first part of the season, we can narrow that gap a bit, and it would be very nice to think that by mid-season or even after the summer break, both Joan and Luca have at least the possibility of fighting for podiums and victories – which, ultimately, is the goal Repsol Honda has and also they as riders because riders are always ambitious. That’s what we will seek and what we aim for at this moment’.