As some of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid heads to the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for a two-day test, teams will have the opportunity to test some new components on their machines to try and take more steps forward. Team HRC will have new items to try throughout the test in Italy with Team Manager Leon Camier explaining what is being tested and how it will benefit riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge.
Honda brought new components to tests at MotorLand Aragon and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and it appeared they had made a step ahead of the Dutch Round at the TT Circuit Assen. Although they were inside the top ten at points throughout both rounds, they weren’t able to fight for a podium place consistently throughout with Lecuona the closest in Catalunya when he missed out by half-a-second.
In order to try and take another step, Team HRC have more components to try at the Misano test, including items to help with rider position on the bike to help benefit Lecuona and Vierge as well as two variants of a new swingarm which was described by Camier as “probably the main thing” for the test.
Discussing the new components, Camier said: “It’s important, we need to clarify a few things and we have a few new items. We want to work on the bike we’ve got to check some options, some rider position things to understand the balance of the bike a little bit at this point. Testing is always good, it’s always good to be away from racing and trying to understand the bike we’ve got a little bit more.”
We have a new swingarm to test, that’s probably the main thing. This will be interesting. We actually have two different versions of it to try, just to see the direction. Hopefully we will understand something from this. Apart from that, there’s not too much. There are some other small items, but this is the main point of this test. We also want to check rider position on the bike to understand, with the super concession chassis, where to put the riders on the bike and the overall balance.”
In 2023, Honda have one podium to their name after Vierge took his first WorldSBK podium in Race 2 at Mandalika. Both Lecuona and Vierge have been fighting inside the top ten throughout races in a highly competitive field and, speaking at the test, Camier reviewed the 2023 campaign so far for Honda. After four rounds, Honda are fourth in the Manufacturers’ Championship, 36 points behind Kawasaki ahead and 23 ahead of BMW behind.
Reviewing 2023 so far, Camier said: “We’re not happy to be where we are. We were probably expecting to be further up this year, but it is what it is. We have to keep understanding the problems, keep working on them and keep improving. This is the goal. Can’t see we’re content with where we are, but it is what it is, and we have to keep working.”
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Source: WorldSBK.com