“Honda cannot wait until 2027 to progress”

Having spent seven years as team manager of the official Honda team, Alberto Puig experienced the brand's descent into hell from the inside. Dominant with Marc Márquez, it tumbled to the bottom of the rankings after a year 2020 marked both by the injury of its star driver and the setback caused by Covid.

Since then, it has been European motorcycles that have been crushing the championship and, among the Japanese brands, Honda is the one that is encountering the most difficulties in its quest to rebound. No Honda has won since the isolated success of Álex Rins in Austin in the spring of 2023 and, among manufacturers and teams alike, it is HRC that holds the red lantern in the championship.

Despite this bad patch, the brand with the golden wing seems to be weathering the storm voluntarily, particularly with the recruitments made this winter around the test team. Alberto Puig continues to be the link between the entirely Japanese management and the racing team. Before tackling the new season, he took stock of Motorsport.com.

With the arrival of Romano Albesiano as technical director, what is Honda's future strategy in MotoGP?

The only strategy we have set for the moment is to improve the bike. This is the starting point. And to achieve this, Honda allocates all the resources it has as well as its technology. I'm not just talking about financial resources, but also human resources. This is why we decided to hire Romano. The first thing is to improve the bike. There is no specific plan, we do everything we can day after day because we are aware that our level is not what it should be.

Honda wins in Formula 1 by being associated with Red Bull. Are there any plans to try to take advantage of this?

I think it's important to clarify one thing: Honda wins in Formula 1, yes, but a car and a motorcycle are not the same thing. Honda supplies the engines, but Red Bull has a fantastic team designing the car. In our case, Honda takes care of the entire bike. It's a different concept but [F1 et MotoGP] are both under the auspices of the HRC. We are trying to take advantage of the resources that F1 can offer us. That's something we're starting to try to connect.

We do everything we can day after day because we are aware that our level is not what it should be.

Do you already have a base in Europe?

We are evaluating the possibilities in Europe, but for the moment, nothing is finalized. The idea is to speed up the process of implementing ideas in motorcycle development. We want to increase our reaction speed, but there are also interesting technological options in Europe now.

Do you think that Covid explains the current gap between European and Japanese manufacturers?

It's complicated to single out just one element, but it's true that technology in Europe has improved a lot recently, in all areas of motorcycling. We only have two wheels, not four, so we have to be very precise. If you mess up with any of the elements, with all these electronic systems that have been introduced, then you won't be able to perform. The Europeans have taken a step forward in all areas of motorcycling, but it is also true that the Japanese brands probably suffered more from Covid because the technicians could not go to Japan.

What do you expect from Aleix Espargaró as a test driver?

He is someone with a lot of experience and he was very clear in his comments on the bike. It comes from a big brand [Aprilia, ndlr]with which he obtained very good results. A driver like him can't bring anything negative because he only brings ideas.

How important is it to have a driver as fast as Espargaró, knowing that he was still fighting for podiums last season?

This is very important. When he got off the bike on Sunday in Montmeló, during the last race of the season, he was still fighting for the podium. To properly test parts, you have to be quick. There are different types of tests done on parts, but ultimately what you need to do is evaluate the real potential, the performance they offer, the speed. This is why you need a driver capable of reaching the limit, and that is the case with Aleix. I think his arrival will be beneficial for Honda and for the other drivers.

Do you think he will push the other Honda riders?

This is very important, but it is the case for all brands. We saw it, for example, with Dani Pedrosa when he arrived as a test rider at KTM. Often he was faster than the official drivers. It may not be pleasant for those who are holders, but in the medium and long term, it is positive because it allows us to strengthen ourselves. When one of these test drivers takes part in a race, he must try to put pressure on the others. It's a race, and everyone has to accept it.

Do you think that the new regulations which will come into force in 2027 will widen the difference between the fastest drivers and the others?

Brands will always find a way to make motorcycles ever faster. With fewer controls, fewer devices, whatever. It's difficult to answer this question now, but Honda can't wait until 2027 to make progress, and that's why I have to think about next year.

Photos – 30 years of Honda in Repsol colors