Honda seems definitively determined to get out of the tunnel in which it has been traveling for years in MotoGP. In parallel with the organizational restructuring process that began last year, the development of the 2024 RC213V has accelerated. The quantity of new parts to be tested has clearly increased, and a plan has been developed in which the test team actively participates, with Stefan Bradl as driver, and the LCR lineup, with Johann Zarco and Takaaki Nakagami.
Shortly before the start of the season, Bradl rode in Jerez. Among the various new components that the German tested, a Marchesini rear rim stands out, a different supplier to the one used by the official team, Mir and Marini. These two are forced to use OZ due to a contractual obligation with Honda. Motorsport.com understands that this circumstance prevented the two official drivers from testing this component in the first grand prix of the season, in Lusail. Zarco, however, ran with this wheel, even if he only tried it on Saturday morning in the third free practice session which, after the rescheduling of the agenda due to rain, defined direct access to Q2 or not.
Johann Zarco, Team LCR Honda
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
In that session, the rider from Lucio Cecchinello's team finished in 16th position, 1.2 seconds from the best time set by Alex Marquez. Getting off the bike, the rider from Nice complained about the vibrations that this rim caused and he didn't use it again for the whole weekend. It seems that the key to this “new” Marchesini rim (there are teams that already use it, ed) is the coating that is applied to it and which offers some advantages, such as better heat dissipation. According to what Motorsport.com has learned, OZ is trying to make something similar available to Honda, even if it has not yet found the key.
Marini, from Qatar to Jerez for a private test
It is not clear whether Honda will work to find a formula that allows Marini and Mir to test this part on the rear of their bikes. According to what Motorsport.com has learned, the driver from Tavullia toured this Wednesday in Jerez, taking advantage of the concession system. In this way he is trying to speed up the process of adapting to Honda, after a first grand prix that left a bitter taste in his mouth. On Saturday, in fact, Marini finished the Sprint in last position, over 25 seconds behind the winner Jorge Martin. On Sunday, the distance to winner Pecco Bagnaia grew to 42 seconds, one per lap.
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