Honda MotoGP♋ test rider Aleix Espargaro says t💮he 2025 RC213V is currently “good enough to have fun on, but not good enough to win with”.

The Japanese manufacturer has made a strong start to 2025 off the back of one of its weakest campaigns ever in MotoGP last year.

It currently sits second in the constructors’ standings, with 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Johann Zarco sixth in the rider points having scored its first top five in two ye⭕ars last time out at the Qatar Grand Prix.

There is a sense in the paddock that Honda could be fighting for reguꦗlar podiums by the end of this season if it continues its current pro🐟gress, which has been bolstered by the arrival of Romano Albesiano as technical director.

Espargaro, who joined Honda as a test rider for 2025 following his retirement from full-time racing, will 🎶make a wildcard a🎶ppearance on the RC213V this weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix.

He has been pleased to hear comments from Honda riders on h🎀ow fun the bike is now to ride, but accepts t♎here is still work to do yet.

𒉰“I’m really happy, and the results are obviously clear,” Es﷽pargaro told MotoGP’s Gear Up programme on Thursday at Jerez.

“It’s the way you prove that the bike is competitive. But also to hear some interviews🎀 with [Joan] Mir and Luca [Marini] that they are havi꧑ng fun again riding the bike after a long time, this makes me very happy.

“During the winter with Romano Albesiano we just triꦦed t🔯o put the puzzle together.

“We had a lot of stuff, a lot of chassis, different engine configurations and different aerodynamics, and we tried to make a puzzle and maꦜke the bes♋t base to start the season.

“I think the base we have right now is good enough to have fun, but not good enough to win. So, we need to 🃏keep working.”

‘Mixing cultures’ key to Honda’s future MotoGP success

It has often been said that Honda’s decline in recent years has been down to a sꦇtubborn culture holꦅding it back from taking risks in the same way European manufacturers have.

Having spent eight years with Aprilia, Espargaro doesn’t believe this ൲is a problem Honda faces but ackno🧸wledges it will benefit from “mixing cultures”.

“I don’t think that was Honda’s problem﷽,” he said.

“Actually, when 🌞I rode the bike for the first time in Barcelona [in the test last November] it was a big mess b🐬ecause I didn’t know which bike I was riding, my bike was completely different to the others.

“They really ca꧑n’t wait to be back on the win💎ning times, so they are working hard, producing a lot of stuff, but maybe it’s not the right way.

“You have to go s💞tep by step. With Romano we are trying to mix the cultures.

“The Japanese culture, I lovꦰe it, it’s - for me - the best one to work with. But sometimes you need the push, you need some fresh ideas from the Europea🤡n mentality and this is what we are trying to do, to mix both.”

For his Jerez🌃 wildcard, Espargaro has “a lot of new stuff” on his bike to try,𒉰 which will be tested on Monday by the race riders.

“Honda is n꧂ot💜 stopping, the goal is clear,” he added.

“They are full𒁃y motivated to win again. So, my RCV will not♒ be the same as Joan and Luca’s during this weekend.

“I have a lot of new stuff and hopefully I can prove it’s a little bit more competitiꦿve and I can receive it in the near future.”