MotoGP ace Johann Zarco is Honda’s top rider for the 2024 season, leaving behind career riders Joan Mir and Luca Marini. He hopes that the new staff addition to the HRC will take a step forward in 2025.
Honda had a poor 2024 MotoGP season The factory duo Joan Mir and Luca Marini finished 21st and 22nd overall, occupying the last two places among regular drivers. Things went better for LCR Honda driver Johann Zarco – the Frenchman was able to get decent results, especially in the last third of the season at the races in Asia and Australia: he managed to get into Q2 several times and get top 10. placement. Eighth place at the Grand Prix in Thailand was his best result of the season. The two-time Moto2 champion finished 17th overall, making him Honda’s best rider.
The RC213V was the worst motorcycle in 2024. The biggest motorcycle manufacturer in the world is making great efforts to close the gap with the major European manufacturers in MotoGP. Above all, HRC has strengthened its staff for the 2025 season. With the new Technical Director Romano Albesiano, Aprilia was able to find an experienced engineer. Honda has also put the test team on a new track – with Aleix Espargaro, the Japanese were able to bring in a fast driver from Aprilia, regular LCR driver Takaaki Nakagami steps into the role of test driver. In addition, Germany’s Stefan Bradl HRC will continue to be available.
Zarco will compete in his second MotoGP season with LCR Honda in 2025. His colleagues at paddock-gp.com asked him if he expects the new signings to make a big difference for next season? “I hope so. A fresh blood like Aleix Espargaro can be very good. To move forward with a different perspective, there is Romano Albesiano. It will be interesting to see how things will be after the first test in Malaysia, with the shock,” said the young man 34 from Cannes.
However, Zarco admitted that the current prospects of the motorcycle are not very encouraging: “At the moment, the 2025 project is not going better than the 2024 project,” the veteran is still not very confident. A preliminary evaluation will take place at the MotoGP test at the Sepang International Circuit at the beginning of February.
