MotoGP: a “low profile” 2024 for Honda in order to return to the top

The news that Marc Marquez will leave the Honda factory team at the end of the year after eleven seasons of collaboration, presumably in order to move to the Gresini team with his brother, has set off a domino-effect that could involve a lot of other manufacturers and riders, from Ducati to Aprilia and even KTM.

At the same time, HRC will need to look around and think long-term, dedicating the 2024 season to development with a “modest” line-up, before returning to the top and putting an end to one of the darkest periods in its MotoGP history in 2025.

Will Lecuona complete the 2024 line-up?

The favourite to climb aboard the factory machine alongside Joan Mir is undoubtedly Iker Lecuona, who has already been drafted in this year to replace Mir, Marquez and Rins on various occasions. The 23-year old, currently competing in Superbike with HRC, has often expressed a desire to return to MotoGP full-time and so he may well be the man to fill the vacant RC213V seat.

It’s clear that, for a giant like Honda, a quartet of riders comprising Joan Mir, Iker Lecuona, Johann Zarco and Takaaki Nakagami does not exactly represent the highest possible level. And yet, a “low profile” season in which the manufacturer focuses on developing the bike before taking on a new top rider in 2025, might be the right decision in order to work without attracting too much attention or excessive expectations. But we’re talking about Honda... are we sure they’re not already looking at the other garages with a view to ‘stealing’ a big name already at the end of 2023?