Honda has faced a sharp decline in MotoGP performance in recent years, going from being a leading constructor to the least competitive, a dramatic and unexpected downturn with no clear end in sight.
Stefan Bradl, Honda’s test rider, expressed confidence in the Japanese manufacturer’s ability to turn things around in an interview with SPEEDWEEK.com:
– When a decision is made at Honda, a proper announcement is made, everyone stands firm, and then something truly happens, things move quickly. Honda is still the most successful constructor in MotoGP, so I haven’t lost hope. The standard is there. Honda is a massive organization. But it’s not like the bar has been set for more than ten years.
Honda’s efforts are taking place, and Bradl referenced Ducati’s resurgence as an example: ‘It took Ducati 15 years to win another rider’s title after [Casey] Stoner in 2007. There were signs of progress with [Andrea] Dovizioso, then came the breakthrough. Now it’s continuous, but it’s a process that doesn’t take just one year. Honda will still need some time to get back to the path of success’.