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Repsol Honda clinched their first 1-2 finish in four years at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix with Marc Marquez clinching the win ahead of Pol Espargaro.
Things are looking up for the Japanese-powered team, but in 2022, could they be a force to be reckoned with?
The most successful team of the 2010s with seven riders’ titles courtesy of Marc Marquez (2013-14, 2016-19) and Casey Stoner (2011), have struggled for consistent front running positions since the turn of the decade. However, they are on course to score back-to-back fifth-place finishes in the constructors’ standings.
Their podium at Misano is just the tip of the iceberg for Honda with their results improving race by race.
The Repsol revival could add an extra catalyst into the mix in 2022 as they enter the ever-unpredictable battle with Ducati, Suzuki and Yamaha.
Menacing Marc Marquez back to his best
Marc Marquez has endured a tough two years with a series of injury complications. The Spaniard is slowly getting back to his best with three victories so far this season.
The eight-time MotoGP champion also retained his crowns at the Sachsenring and Circuit of the Americas, two circuits the Spaniard has been incredibly strong at in recent years. This exactly proved that Marc Marquez still has that race-winning pace even when he isn’t 100% fit.
In an honourable list of tracks where Marquez is impressive, 2022 also sees the return of the ‘flyaway’ rounds in Thailand, Japan, Malaysia and Australia where the dominant Honda man won six out of eight races held in Asia in 2018 and 2019.
2022 also sees the debut of the Indonesian Grand Prix, a track that looks to perfectly suit the Spaniard’s ‘on the limit’ riding style.
Marquez also came into the season cold in Portugal, without a full pre-season due to his rehabilitation, which is a testament to his bravery. However, one heavy crash could jeopardise his MotoGP career as his arm and shoulder still aren’t 100% fit, but this won’t phase the Spaniard.
In 2022, with a full pre-season under his belt, the 28-year-old could be one of the favourites in next season’s title fight.
Pol Espargaro’s experience
Pol Espargaro has also impressed in recent rounds. A pole position start at Silverstone saw him string together some good pace as he finished fifth.
Any title charger needs a right-hand man who’s able to back him up in an on-track battle and Espargaro does just that.
In the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the Spaniard allowed Marc Marquez to chase Francesco Bagnaia, who eventually crashed, leading to the team’s first 1-2 finish since the 2017 Aragon Grand Prix, the 30-year-old’s best result of his MotoGP career.
However, riding for a top tier team comes with the added pressure which Espargaro has struggled with in the early rounds, but since then, he’s looking far more comfortable aboard his Honda RC213V.
Repsol Honda team boss Alberto Puig expressed his desire that the 30-year-old would be a front runner at the team’s 2021 launch earlier this year:
“We hope that Pol [Espargaro] brings results – that’s why we signed him. He’s got good results in the past and he’s no longer a kid. We want him to fight with the other riders and also with Marc [Marquez], who is the benchmark.”
Espargaro signed for Honda at the start of the 2021 season, following a string of good results including five podiums in 2020.
Entering his ninth MotoGP season, the Spaniard has a lot of experience in the premier class but is still awaiting his first MotoGP victory, and with a competitive bike, he can deliver that maiden triumph.
The 2022 Honda package
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic affecting manufacturing in Japan and Marc Marquez’s lengthy absence, Honda have struggled to produce a consistent front-running bike, largely down to a lack of rear grip.
Following his podium at Misano, Pol Espargaro stated to Autosport how much of a challenge the pandemic has been for the team:
“But as you know, the Japanese took safety super-seriously, more seriously than Europeans and for sure in this COVID era they were struggling more than the European manufacturers.
“We have seen the European manufacturers doing huge steps in these COVID times while the Japanese were struggling a little bit more.”
The development of the 2022 chassis and bike had already started earlier this year and restrictions have now allowed the team to test their machinery which in previous years has been tailored to Marc Marquez’s unique riding style.
In 2022, Honda, Marc Marquez and Espargaro can succeed in MotoGP. For the team, a crucial maiden championship of the decade and for Marquez his first title in two years.
As ever, MotoGP is an unpredictable sport, but if everything can keep heading in the right direction, they may just be in with a chance of glory next year.
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