Last week, Aleix Espargaró had his first experience with the Honda RC213V during the MotoGP test in Barcelona. The Spaniard will be the manufacturer’s new test rider starting in 2025.
Antonio Jiménez, Espargaró’s crew chief, is accompanying him in the transition from Aprilia to Honda. In an interview with MotoSprint, the technician was asked about the limits the #41 found on his new bike. He replied:
– It’s hard to say, as we are talking about a bike with a different engine and character compared to Aprilia, and it takes time. He rode the Honda more or less the same way he rode the Aprilia, and his lap time in Barcelona wasn’t bad.
Getting to know and understand a new bike takes time, but there was already something that surprised Espargaró. ‘Now we need to understand the bike’s strengths and weaknesses, so we can bring everything together and move forward. For instance, Aleix was impressed by the bike’s starting capabilities’, Jiménez said.