On the eve of the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez, Italian Honda HRC Castrol rider Luca Marini expressed optimism about Aleix Espargaró’s participation as a wildcard. Marini hopes Espargaró’s involvement could bring technical breakthroughs and valuable insights to the crucial post-race test, essential for the development of the RC213V.
“I don’t know. I hope he has something different on the bike, something more to try and make it perform better, to improve the technical package we have,” said Marini, when asked about Espargaró’s wildcard role in Honda’s development. His positive outlook stems from the belief that Espargaró, an experienced test rider, might accelerate progress on overcoming Honda’s recent struggles.
The former VR46 rider remains hopeful about the advantages this additional participation could provide, as Honda has found itself lagging in recent seasons. “In that case, I hope he will be faster and try to share some feedback with us for Monday’s test, which will be super important for us,” Marini added, underscoring the significance of the test scheduled after the Grand Prix.
For Honda, navigating through one of its toughest periods in MotoGP history, every bit of insight is invaluable, particularly from a rider of Espargaró’s caliber who can offer fresh perspectives on RC213V’s challenges. Such developments could potentially steer Honda toward a revival on the racetrack.
