The group based by the ex-racer has been competing with Honda tools since its entry into the premier class in 2006 with Casey Stoner as its rider.
Since then, it has accrued 4 victories, three with Cal Crutchlow and the final one with Alex Rins, ultimately yr’s United States Grand Prix, which is the final victory celebrated by a Honda rider.
Regardless of the disastrous sporting second that Honda is at present dwelling via, having completed 2023 final within the constructors’ standings, Cecchinello feels extra vital than ever throughout the HRC construction.
Chatting with Motorsport.com a couple of days in the past, Cecchinello revealed that Honda confronted a choice that might have had large penalties for all events concerned on this planet championship.
“Final yr, because of the lack of competitiveness of the bike, Honda reached some extent the place it needed to decide: both make investments extra within the MotoGP venture or withdraw,” concedes Cecchinello, pleased with the path taken by the Tokyo-based firm’s high administration.
“Honda selected to remain, as a result of its DNA comes from bikes, even when they now make rockets to journey to house.”
With the conviction to stay concerned within the championship, the Japanese model has turned its consideration to its need to have a aggressive bike once more, and as quickly as doable.
Johann Zarco, Group LCR Honda
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Photos
“What I see this yr is that there are much more Honda individuals concerned,” he provides.
“The Honda presidency has given clear indications that the competitiveness of the MotoGP venture must be restored. And all of that begins with a higher willingness to make monetary sources obtainable.”
Honda is concerned in a restructuring that has seen a number of key adjustments made over the past yr and a half.
Takeo Yokoyama, technical director, was changed by Ken Kawauchi, coming from Suzuki, simply over a yr in the past.
Then it was the flip of Shinichi Kokubu, the chief of the MotoGP venture, who over the past Japanese Grand Prix was relieved by Shin Sato.
And the subsequent to depart shall be Tetsuhiro Kuwata, the overall supervisor, who in April will go away his put up to Taichi Honda. The entire above, nevertheless, didn’t have the repercussions that Marc Marquez’s departure to Gresini Ducati provoked.
Nonetheless, the model with essentially the most muscle within the competitors appears decided to return to the latitudes of the desk that it’s presupposed. And its technique, largely, is to go hand in hand with LCR.
“This yr, Honda has modified its strategy to growing the bike. Till now, the primary evaluation was performed by the check group, who then handed the components to the official group, who in flip evaluated whether or not the components have been going nicely or not.
“Solely then did they attain us once they have been obtainable,” says Cecchinello, whose storage, with Johann Zarco and Takaaki Nakagami, was totally linked to that of the manufacturing unit group on the Sepang and Qatar assessments.
“Now, the check group does its evaluation and the components are distributed among the many 4 starter riders on the identical time. HRC receives the findings and information from all 4 riders on the identical time. It is a way more environment friendly system.”
