Xavi Vierge is competing in his third season in the World Superbike Championship, where he arrived in 2022 as an official Honda rider. The path has not been easy, with the manufacturer looking to substantially improve performance and results as is the case in MotoGP.
In an interview with the website Motosan.es, the Spanish rider was asked if he feels any difference in the way of working compared to European manufacturers, to which he replied:
– I could only work with one factory in this case, which is them. And from day one they have been working non-stop. It is currently the best factory in the world for me. It’s just a matter of time until we are where we deserve to be. From day one, the goal for each team member is nothing but winning, and they are working hard to get there as soon as possible.
That being said, Vierge acknowledged that the task is tough, but there is total commitment to it: ‘It’s obvious that it’s not easy, otherwise everyone would do it, and it’s obvious that at this moment we are going through a very difficult time, not only here in Superbike, but there is no alternative but to continue to strive, continue to extract the most from what we have and trust that as soon as possible we will find something that will get us there‘.
Could there be a communication problem at the root of Honda’s difficulties in progressing? The pilot commented: ‘It’s complicated. Ultimately, both Kawasaki and Yamaha, so to speak, have always been here in Superbike. Honda as an official team returned a few years ago. And of course, we are struggling to catch up. In fact, looking from the outside, there are no major changes in the paddock. It is obvious that Ducati is making a difference, but I would say that this year Yamaha and Kawasaki, looking from the outside, have the same similar bike that has always worked and continues to work to some extent, let’s say. BMW seems to have improved a lot, obviously, and we seem to be getting there, but in the end, the progress we make, others also make, and that leaves us more or less in the same place‘.
Although Honda is far from the results it has achieved in the past, Vierge assured that motivation is not lacking: ‘In the early years, we were able to regularly be within the top six and now it seems that when we do really well, we can get close to the top ten. That’s our reality at the moment and we have to accept it. It is obvious that we have not lost motivation or confidence, we remain committed as we are, because what I say is that we have the potential, both the team and us, the riders, and we have to turn it around‘.
