Honda “planning to get new people onboard” to boost MotoGP project

Honda MotoGP team boss Alberto Puig says it is “planning to get new people onboard” to assist technical director Romano Albesiano with bike development.

The Japanese manufacturer made a major change to its technical structure late last year when it signed Albesiano from Aprilia to become technical director.

The idea behind this was to bring in a fresh European perspective to bike development to help Honda, whose slide down the MotoGP order has been blamed partly on its cautious Japanese approach.

Honda has enjoyed a much better season in 2024 so far, with Johann Zarco winning its first race in two years at the French Grand Prix and following that up with a podium at the British Grand Prix.

Such has been Honda’s progress that it became centre of a contract dispute between Jorge Martin and Aprilia, before the reigning world champion announced he would stay at the Italian marque in 2026.

Honda is also thought to have signed KTM engine chief Kurt Trieb, the engineer responsible for building MotoGP’s fastest ever motor.

“We go at our pace and we are not where we would like to be, but that doesn’t mean we are stopping,” Alberto Puig said.

“We are taking our time, but Honda is a company that when you fix a target you normally get there.

“So, about Romano, of course Romano came in this year.

“It’s not easy for a guy to arrive to a company like Honda and change things in five or 10 minutes.

“So, it will need to time to get ready.

“But we are doing a lot effort, not only in Japan but also in Europe to create a new centre for development, for vehicle dynamics.

“And we are doing a lot of things. Romano won’t be alone and we are even planning on getting new people onboard.

“So, I think it’s a combination of the guys who are coming now to Honda plus the main factory and the main engineers in Japan who will make the change.

“This is originally the plan that we have in mind.”