Slow Honda, injuries …. in short, everything will go wrong in 2024

Honda is not only facing difficult times in MotoGP, almost everything is also going wrong for the biggest motorcycle manufacturer in the world in the FIM Superbike World Championship. The 2024 season is not going as planned for Team HRC driver Iker Lecuona. In Australia, Catalunya and Assen, the Spaniard had to deal with injuries and was off the field more this season than he was on the bike.

After Honda suddenly and unexpectedly bid farewell to Nieuwleusen-based Ten Kate Racing as their World Superbike project partner at the end of the 2018 season, everything was supposed to be fine, the top road had to be restarted under the banner of Team Moriwaki Althea Honda. It soon became clear that this project would not last long. This was followed by a brand new factory-backed project led by Spaniard Alberto Puig under the name Team HRC. A brand new team was established from Spain, the brand new Honda CBR1000RR-R SP arrived and famous and big names were recruited to ensure a podium finish and victory in the world championship based on production machines.

Leon Haslam and Alvaró Bautista were the first two Team HRC riders to test in 2020 and 2021 before Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona were brought in by Honda as backups. Both Spaniards from the MotoGP paddock are now in their third season in the colors of Team HRC, but despite the fact that no one doubts the qualities of the two riders, success has not yet been achieved. In short, it is now five years later after Honda said goodbye to the championship manufacturers from Nieuwleusen and we can conclude that millions of euros have been burned, many injuries have occurred without the results improving significantly compared to before.

It’s a tough blow for Lecuona especially at the moment, the Spaniard suffered a defeat last weekend in Assen for the third time this season. After suffering injuries in Australia and Catalunya, the Dutch round of the 2024 FIM Superbike World Championship also turned into drama. Lecuona suffered a fatal crash on Saturday morning in FP3, suffering a knee injury that kept him out for the rest of the weekend.

Frustration was evident on the Spaniard’s face on Sunday in Assen when he was asked about his season so far.

Iker Lecuona: “It’s been a very difficult season so far, we don’t have to compete in the jungle. I got injured in Australia, then I struggled during the second round of the season at Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya and here I’m out again with an injury. Coping with that situation mentally and physically is not easy . It’s hard to do when something happens every time that puts me on the sidelines. I’m also sorry for the team, because on a weekend like this – especially with the unpredictable weather – we could have taken advantage of that.”

Despite struggling with an unraced Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP and everything going wrong so far this season, Lecuona certainly hasn’t given up. The former MotoGP rider thinks that it would be possible to achieve a good result in Assen.

Iker Lecuona: “I think we had a chance to do well here in Assen. Before the accident, it was the first time this year that I enjoyed riding in the rain. So it was a shame when I hurt my knee in the accident. But these things happen sometimes and unfortunately it happened to me. A positive thing it’s just that now we have a few weeks off to rest physically, clear my head and focus on getting better as soon as possible.”

The next round of the World Superbike Championship will take place on the weekend of June 14 to 16 at the Misano Marco Simoncelli World Circuit. Before that, Lecuona will complete a two-day test at one circuit with Team HRC, at least if he recovers from all his injuries in time.

In short, not only in MotoGP – where nowadays they seem to have a patent on the fourth-last starting places on the grid – Honda’s performance also remains very low in WorldSBK. Normally we would say, this is not good for Honda, but the Japanese seem to continue and still have faith in their racing strategy and the new course from 2019. They are to be commended for this attitude, which we are curious to know… …how the Honda WorldSBK project would progress in five years ago if they hadn’t ended their partnership with Ten Kate Racing at the end of 2018 and given the men from Nieuwleusen the confidence to replace the current Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade. SP on the machine to win make?

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