Honda is turning up the heat in MotoGP! At Jerez, for the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix, the Japanese brand is expected to bring a new engine to the field, which will be tested during post-race testing and ridden by wild-card entry and test rider Aleix Espargaró. After a promising start to the season, this boost aims to address the RC213V's Achilles heel: its top speed. HRC boss Alberto Puig makes no secret of his ambitions: to catch up with Ducati and aim for the lead.
After several seasons of technical wandering, Honda finally seems to be getting back on the road to competitiveness. And on the occasion of the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez, the Japanese brand is preparing a real technological offensive, with a big surprise: the presentation of a brand new engine, combined with the return to racing of Aleix Espargaró on the RC213V.
« If we can gain top speed, it could be very useful to us. ", confided Alberto Puig on motor passion, back in the paddock from Losail. These bikes are very big, and you need straight line speed. »
Top speed has been the RC213V's weak point at the start of the season. And while the results have far exceeded expectations — Honda is currently second in the constructors' championship — the gap with Ducati remains significant. It is to fill this gap that this new engine will make its debut on the Monday following the race, during the official test in Jerez.
But the Japanese firm does not intend to wait for the tests to accumulate data. The veteran Aleix Espargaró, now a test driver for HRC, will compete in the Grand Prix with a wild card in order to test the new equipment in real conditions. A clever move that confirms the more pragmatic and aggressive approach of the new project Honda, marked by the arrival of Romano Albesiano (ex-Aprilia) at the head of technical development.
Alberto Puig: “ There will be quite a few big things coming up at Honda »
And that's not all : " There will be quite a few important things coming up. I won't say anything, but there will be some things that can really help us. ", tease Puig.
Targeted ? A complete pack of upgrades, potentially aerodynamic, electronic or chassis, which could finally propel Honda from the middle of the pack to the top of the rankings.
In Losail already, Johann zarco showed the potential of this bike by finishing fourth, two tenths off the podium. The RC213V is starting to demonstrate good grip and better handling, but it is raw power that has been lacking until now. If the new engine lives up to its promise without unbalancing the rest of the package, Honda could become a real scarecrow again by mid-season.
Jerez therefore promises to be a pivotal moment for HRC. The return of an experienced pilot like I will espargaro, the notable progress of zarco, the technical expertise ofAlbesian, and above all this desire to innovate on the track are bringing a wind of optimism unprecedented since the post-Marquez era. Honda is no longer in denial, the factory is running.
