Away from European eyes, this week HRC pulled out all the stops at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, with Takaaki Nakagami making his first laps as a test driver. After seven seasons with LCR Honda, the 32-year-old Japanese embarked on a new adventure aboard an all-black RC213V, all in carbon finish, dedicated to technical evaluation. These private Honda tests in Malaysia highlighted the Japanese brand's determination to return to the top of MotoGP. After several disappointing seasons, the golden wing firm has stepped up its efforts to develop a more competitive RC213V.
HRC conducted private tests this week on the international circuit of Sepangin Malaysia, marking the start of the new role of Takaaki Nakagami as a test pilot for Honda. After seven seasons in MotoGP with the LCR Honda team, the Japanese
32 years now shares development responsibilities with Stefan Bradland a well-known paddock veteran, Aleix Espargaró…
These trials were crucial for the development of the
Honda RC213V in preparation for the 2025 season.
Nakagami rode an all-black version of the bike, complete with a carbon finish, specially prepared for technical evaluations. Its lack of official livery reflected the urgency for Honda to catch up after several disappointing seasons.
Honda must imperatively close the gap that separates it from its competitors, particularly Ducati et
KTM. During the last official test in Barcelona in November,
Johann ZarcoFrom now on the most successful Honda driverhad finished 0.8 seconds behindAlex Marquez sur sa Ducatiillustrating the need for significant improvements.
Takaaki Nakagami : « the best way to end the season »
In Sepang, the factory Honda focused on several aspects: chassis configurations, aerodynamic adjustments and engine updates. The objective was to accumulate as much data as possible before the next official tests in February on the same track.
« Sepang test completed“, said Nakagami on social networks. “ The best way to end the season. Now let's rest a little and continue working. See you soon. »
The future of Honda now relies on these key tests. HRC engineers remain confident that the information collected this week will help narrow the gap with their top-performing rivals. With these intensive trials and a development-oriented approach,
Honda hopes to return to the race at the top from 2025. The official MotoGP tests of February in Sepang promise to be crucial for measuring the effectiveness of the developments made to the RC213V.
Related News :