Casey Stoner launches passionate defence of Honda: “Bikes aren’t quite as bad…”
Honda are perhaps at their lowest ebb in the wake of seeing Marc Marquez, their esteemed rider, walk away due to their below-par competitiveness to🗹 join Gresini 🌱Ducati in 2024.
But Stoner, speaking at his home Australian MotoGP 11 years after rꦑetiring, defended the team where he ended his career and won one championship.
“Hon𒉰da have been struggling fo🅺r a couple of years,” he said.
“It’s easy to sit on the🌠 outside and sa👍y ‘the team haven’t been doing a good job’.
“But it’s not actually the team. It goes way 𓄧further above than that. W♔e’re not sure how much effort they’re putting into the racing.
“I know there were a few position changes in Japan and it se꧃ems to be affecting the team.
“The two Japanese manufacturers seem to be a step or two behind. The European manufacturers got on top of everything a𒁃 bit quicker, they’re ahead of the game.
“It’s puzzling that the Japanese𒆙 manufacturers are equally behind the Europeans.
“Marc is going to give himself a shot to understand whet�ꦰ�her it’s him or the bike.”
Asked if Marquez could win the 2024 championship on a Ducati, Stoner replied: “I still think he can probably win the championship on a Honda, 🌃as long as he gets things right.
“We saw Alex Rins win in Austin, he dominated that race. A bike doesn’t go froꦦm winning to being massively uncompetitive.
“I’m of the opinion that these biꦰkes aren’t quite as bad…
“♑I🌠f they can win a race earlier in the season - he almost destroyed everyone - then it shouldn’t be outside of the top 10 in the rest of the rounds.
“Unfortunately in racing, sometimes you get lost and it needs someone to show what it’s capable of. We’ve also seen that with the KTMs, ൲Dani Pedrosa hops on it in Jerez and everyone lifts, then he does it again in Misano.
“Sometimes꧟ you need a guiding star to show what it’s capable of, then it gives everyone else the confidence to do more.
“It’s easy to sit there and think the grass is greener. To look at what else is doing. Ducati have beaten most bikes aဣnd are d𝐆oing a good job.
“It’s e𝔍asy to lose heart and motivation and confidence. Those things combined drop you✱ down hill.”
H🍨onda are still searching for a replacement for Marqu🐼ez as they plot their own path without the eight-time world champion.
James was ꧟a sports journalist at Sky Spo🥃rts for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
