MotoGP, Lucio Cecchinello: “Honda said to wait for Marc Marquez to recover and during his absence we did nothing”

LCR team boss and former Grand Prix rider Lucio Cecchinello has been a mainstay of the MotoGP paddock since he began running his team with Hondas in 2006. In 2026 he will celebrate 20 years of collaboration with the Japanese manufacturer in the premier category. Despite his loyalty to Honda, Cecchinello is quick to point out the strategic errors made by Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) which led to the brand’s spectacular fall in the MotoGP rankings.

The words of Lucio Cecchinello constitute a sharp, albeit nuanced, criticism of the strategy adopted by the Japanese manufacturer in recent years. By highlighting the mistakes made by Honda, Cecchinello offers valuable insight into the reasons for the loss of hegemony of the Japanese giant.

Since 2006, Lucio Cecchinello led his team LCR with machines
Hondaremaining loyal to the Japanese manufacturer despite the storms encountered. While 2026 will mark two decades of partnership, the Italian boss does not mince his words regarding the strategic errors of the HRC which led
Honda from the top of MotoGP to an embarrassing position at the back of the grid.

Cecchinello directly points to the dependence of
Honda towards Marc Marquez as the main cause of its collapse. Looking back on the pivotal period of 2020, he told GPone: “ the bike with Marc was good. He could handle the special front end of the Honda and used a harder tire than the others. » He cites the example of Jerez 2020Or
Marquez stunned the paddock with a spectacular comeback before his crash turned his career upside down.

But it was after the accident Marquez what
Honda made the fatal mistake: “ Honda said to wait for Marc to recover. But as we know, there were complications. During his absence, we did nothing in terms of development, while the others continued to advance. »

Lucio Cecchinello: « what was missed in one year by Honda cannot be made up in the same period of time »

When Marc Marquez was able to return in 2021, it was already too late. The rest of the paddock had gotten a head start, and Hondawho had built his strategy on the individual exploits of Marquezfound himself dumped. Lucio Cecchinello notes that this blind dependence on Marquez cost dearly
Honda which missed a complete development cycle. Advances in crucial areas like aerodynamics and electronics were insufficient to catch up with the pack.

The departure of
Marc Marquez in 2024 exposed these shortcomings in stark fashion. However, the team LCR achieved a first in 2024: overtaking the official team
Hondathanks to the solid performance of
Johann Zarcowhich allowed HRC technicians to receive positive feedback.

Despite these criticisms, Cecchinello continue to believe in Honda. Its strategy for 2025 is based on two axes:
Johann Zarcowhich remains a cornerstone for maximizing performance in Europe. And Somkiat Chantrathe first Thai MotoGP rider, who will ride an RC213V under the colors of Idemitsu, symbolizing the efforts of Honda to boost the Asian market.

Pour CecchinelloHonda remains a partner of choice, but the challenges are numerous. “ What was missed in a year cannot be made up in the same time frame,” he admits.

While 2025 promises to be a new year of transition,
LCR hope to keep pushing
Honda towards a rebirth. With talents like Zarco et Chantraassociated with a return to fundamentals in development,
Cecchinello remains confident: the HRC can regain its lost glory, even if the road will be long.