Puig: Ducati still one step ahead in MotoGP

Repsol Honda team manager Alberto Puig is in no doubt that Ducati remains ‘a step ahead’ with one pre-season test remaining before the start of the 2023 world championship.

MotoGP desk_1

22 Feb 2023

Marc Marquez, Sepang MotoGP test, 11 February

Francesco Bagnaia ended Ducati’s 15-year MotoGP title drought last season, in a year that saw at least one (of the eight) Desmosedicis on the podium in every race, including twelve victories.

The other eight wins were shared between Yamaha (3), KTM (2), Suzuki (2) and Aprilia (1) with Honda winless for the second time in three seasons

“The difference to the Ducati is clear,” GPone.com quotes Puig as saying at Wednesday’s Repsol Honda team launch.

“It has great potential over a flying lap. They have taken a step forward and this motivates us to improve as well. However, to date, the reality is that they are one step ahead.”

Having sunk to sixth and last in the 2022 constructors’ standings, Honda’s quest to revive its past MotoGP success has prompted a new era of technical openness at HRC.

Kalex (swingarm) and Akrapovic (exhaust) have been brought on board, with Ken Kawauchi hired from Suzuki as the RC213V’s new technical manager.

“We had several problems, including traction, which we’ve worked a lot on over the winter,” Puig said.

“We’ve [also] changed the dynamics of our work a little bit and we’re open to new opportunities with new partners who are experts in racing, like Akrapovic and Kalex.

“Honda still has its own work system and its DNA, but we’re open to listening and to try out new concepts that help us improve the bike. We are also adapting to the new work system of Ken Kawauchi.”

On the subject of the new Sprint races and complaints about the lack of passing in some MotoGP races last season, Puig added:

“I think the races have changed a bit because of the bikes. We also went through some bad years with Covid and the absence of Marc Marquez, who gave a lot to the show.

“We don’t know how the new [Sprint] race format will work, but I believe the conditions are there to recover what it may have lost.”

Ducati and Aprilia riders filled the top nine places at the recent Sepang test, with Marc Marquez in tenth for Honda.

The final pre-season test takes place at Portimao on March 11-12.