Why Honda’s Alberto Puig believes “Ducati remains the benchmark in MotoGP»

Honda seems to have begun emerging from the shadow of the last five years — a period filled with obstacles. From the outbreak of COVID-19 to Marc Marquez’s injury, which ultimately led to the Spaniard’s departure, HRC staggered on while watching Ducati dominate, as the Italian brand captured the last four titles in a row.

This year, the Sakura-based manufacturer has changed course after rebuilding and restructuring to adapt to modern times. As part of that upward trend, next year will see the arrival of Diogo Moreira, the most sought-after rider in Moto2, at the satellite LCR team.

In the Sepang paddock, Alberto Puig, team manager of Honda’s MotoGP division, sat down with Motorsport.com to talk about the company’s resurgence, the reasons behind signing the Brazilian, and the rider market, which has already begun to move with an eye toward 2027.

Q. What did you see in Moreira?

Alberto Puig: We noticed him when he was racing in Moto3, and this year the opportunity arose to sign him. Diogo is an emerging rider — very fast, with a real chance of winning the Moto2 championship — and he fits perfectly with Honda’s philosophy. In one of our meetings, with him, his agent, and his coach, I think he understood that our project could be of interest to him. He’s young, very promising, skilful and technically strong. For all those reasons, we offered him a long-term contract — three years.

Q. We’re approaching an interesting point in the rider market, when the grid for 2027 and 2028 will begin to take shape. Has HRC already identified its targets?

AP: The 2027 market will be somewhat unusual because a new set of regulations and a new tyre supplier are coming in. That will make it very difficult, almost impossible, for riders to identify which bike will offer the best guarantees. We’ll only be able to see those ‘new’ bikes occasionally during some tests in 2026, and it won’t be until February or March of 2027, when the season starts, that we’ll really know how they all perform. It’s true that the market will open early and that there will be uncertainty — that’s for sure.

Q. Right now, all the riders know which bikes are the best. But those changes you mentioned could shake things up. Could that uncertainty you’re talking about play in Honda’s favour when trying to sign riders?

AP: It could, but everyone knows the other manufacturers are not amateurs. Ducati will build a good bike, as will Aprilia, KTM and Yamaha. Our brand might carry more weight than others, but when it comes to designing a competitive bike in a set time frame, I can’t say for sure. The top riders know exactly what they want. Marc Marquez, for example, knew perfectly well what he wanted when he joined Gresini. It’s true that the manufacturers with the most history are Honda and Yamaha, but I don’t think that guarantees us the best riders.

Q. The contracts of Joan Mir and Luca Marini expire in 2026. With so many open questions, what led you to renew Johann Zarco until the end of 2027?

AP: I can’t give you an answer on that because I wasn’t involved in the operation. It was handled directly from Japan. I was not part of it.

Q. I ask because it’s surprising that the oldest rider on the grid (35 years old) has the longest contract. Doesn’t that reduce your flexibility a bit?

AP: Again, I can’t help you on this matter because I didn’t participate in those negotiations or his signing. If you want more information, you’ll have to speak directly with those who handled it.

Q. After the last few races, some say that Aprilia now has a bike capable of challenging Ducati. Do you see it that way?

AP: For me, Ducati remains the benchmark. And I say that based on the technology they use and their methodology, which are very advanced. Aprilia? Well, they win races here and there, and on the circuits where their bike works well, they’re unbeatable and they’ve shown that in the past. But if you ask me about the season as a whole, there’s no comparison [to Ducati].

Q. Several riders on the grid say Honda has made the biggest leap in performance compared to last year. Has the beast awakened?

AP: Well, I don’t know if I’d define it that way, but we have to remember where we came from. We’ve been far behind for many years. Last season already showed our will to change that trend, and it’s true that we’re doing a lot — bringing in new people, strengthening our base in Japan and expanding in Europe. Honda is a very powerful company, and improvement was an obligation. This had to happen — and it will happen. Are we satisfied? Not at all. But we’re laying the foundations, with human and financial resources, to fight for victories again.

Johann Zarco will stay at LCR until the end of 2027

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images

Q. What convinced Honda’s leadership in Japan to fully commit to the MotoGP project?

AP: We mustn’t forget that Honda’s DNA is racing. Mr Soichiro Honda started out in competition — that was his passion. We’ve been through a rough period, but we’ve gotten to work, and fortunately, things have changed in Japan.

Q. With all these changes you mention, has Honda managed to shorten its reaction times to correct mistakes and develop the bike?

AP: My experience tells me you should never expect a Japanese person to stop being Japanese — just as it doesn’t work to ask a European to work like they do. Honda will do things its own way, but adapting to modern times. Things are no longer done the way they were in 1980.

Q. At Misano, Honda introduced an engine update that marked a significant step forward, is there still untapped potential?

AP: There’s still a bit more room for improvement, yes.

Q. Has the hiring of Kurt Trieb, the engine specialist who came from KTM, had any impact on this improvement?

AP: You have to keep in mind that an engine is developed months in advance, so the specification we introduced at Misano started being developed quite some time ago. Kurt is now fully focused on the 850cc engine for 2027.

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— The Motorsport.com Team