Honda in MotoGP: a first mixed test of the season, the bike remains fragile

The 2025 season of MotoGP is around the corner and the first Grand Prix is approaching quickly. But before seeing the riders take on the track, one question resonates in the paddock: how is Honda faring? Although the winter tests in Buriram seemed promising, Johann Zarco‘s comments have cast doubt on the true performance of the Japanese brand.

Honda in “new beginning” mode: the Buriram tests

During the tests in Buriram, there was an air of optimism at Honda. The brand seemed to have found solutions to improve their bike, especially regarding tire management and the machine‘s response in fast laps. But is this enough to compete with the titans of the category?

Johann Zarco, French rider from the LCR Honda team, shared quite candid comments after the tests. According to him, Honda has improved, but only on one lap, with a notable improvement during the time attack. In other words, in the long stints, the bike still seems behind. It’s not something to get overly excited about, but it remains an interesting evolution, although it doesn’t guarantee instant success in the races.

Zarco remains cautious: “The organization of the tests was good”

In an interview that generated reactions, Johann Zarco suggested that Honda can still improve the situation, but he also pointed out that it is difficult to make a clear judgment about the brand’s position compared to the competition. He indicated that, during the tests, he did not want to delve into the specific adjustments made to the bike to avoid influencing his perception. An attitude that, while honest, adds some mystery about the real state of the machine.

For Zarco, the important thing was to provide clear information to the engineers, even if, according to his own admission, he still does not know exactly where Honda stands compared to other machines. In summary, work has been done, but the road remains complicated.

Is Honda on the right track… or not?

What’s interesting here is that Johann Zarco mentions some ambiguity in Honda‘s performance. While the bike seems to have advanced, especially for the time attack, the race pace remains a weak point. This could mean that the bike is still not fully ready to maintain distance in long races, an area where machines like Yamaha or Ducati seem to have a slight advantage. So, has Honda found the miracle solution for 2025 or is it just an illusion?

What does Zarco think? Doubts, but not despair

For now, Zarco remains quite cautious. His comments about the winter tests suggest improvements, but he emphasizes that it’s difficult to judge the evolution of the bike when he still doesn’t have enough perspective. He also insists that the analysis of performances and adjustments should be the task of the engineers, who are better positioned to assess the effectiveness of the modifications.