Honda’s latest MotoGP bike has lost its previous strength, according to rider Joan Mir. Mir, who struggled with the previous version of the Honda last year, believes that this year’s redesigned edition is a step backwards in terms of competitiveness. The new RC213V prototype received positive feedback from riders during off-season tests and performed reasonably well in the season opener in Qatar. However, it underperformed at Portimao and the Circuit of the Americas, where it was expected to excel. Several riders have noted that while the new bike has addressed the weaknesses of its predecessor, it has also created new problem areas. The bike has improved in terms of top speed and acceleration, but it is now lacking in cornering ability. Mir specifically mentioned that this weakness was exploited by Marc Marquez, who left Honda to ride for Gresini. The struggles with the new bike may make it difficult for Honda to bring Marquez back in the short-term, despite his desire to reunite with the manufacturer. As part of Honda’s concession status, they conducted a test with their race riders in Barcelona. However, Mir was not impressed with the direction they took. He stated that the concept of the bike needs to be changed. The full-time Honda riders will have the opportunity to test modifications during the post-Spanish GP test day at Jerez, which will likely overlap with the RC213V prototype that test rider Stefan Bradl is racing. Mir does not expect these changes to be a complete solution to the bike’s issues.
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