Honda’s strength and weakness have been pinpointed ahead of the 2025 MotoGP season.

The Japanese manufacturer had MotoGP’s worst bike last year, as♔ they evolved♎ into their post-Marc Marquez era.

It took Luca ꧅Marini nine rounds to score his first point as a factory rider,🔴 after leaving VR46 Ducati.

Although there are rays of hope for Honda fromᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ 2025 preseason testing, there are also g🌱laring flaws in their package.

“When it comes to the final 15 minutes of practice, Q1 a🍸nd Q2, over one lap the Honda is much better,” Dorna’s Jack Appleyard reported in Buriram.

“It’s more rider friendly.

“Alberto Puig explainꦗed the changes that they’ve made with 🔯electronics.

“Johann Zarco has much mo𓆏rಞe feel in his right wrist now. As a result, he’s more confident to push the limits.

“The big concern is that wherever they qualify, they will drop back f🅺rom there.

“It’s ab🦂out how many🔯 places they can hold onto in the race. The big fear is tyre life.

“They are unable to maximise it over a full distance or a spr✃int.

“They will qualify well then drop backwards. Ce𓆉rtainly in the first half of the year, that will be the s🍃tory.”

Nevertheless, it might represent a small step forwards for Honda who had very little to shout about last𓃲 season.

They have retained M🍸arini and Joa✃n Mir as their factory combo.

Zarco, so🐬 often the fastest Honda rider in 2024, sticks with LCR Honda.

But they opted to replace 🙈Takaaki Nakagami with Somkiat Chantra, giving a rookie his chance to impress.

Nakagami and Aleix Espargaro, who both raced in 2024, have become Honda’s test riders to accelerate the development of their bꩵike.

Romano Albesiano is a key new figure, as 🌼their technica♛l director.