True, there are those who think that the honda factorythe most successful in the world of racing, has already raised its head after a tremendous crisis of results in recent years with the victory, a few days ago, of the Catalan pilot Àlex Rinsof the team ‘satellite’ LCRin it US Grand Prixheld in the beautiful Austin (Texas) layout.
The results crisis is not only linked to how uncompetitive the latest model of its magical RC213V but, especially, because the pilot who has given him all his victories and titles in the last decade, the Catalan Marc Márquezalready 30 years old, has not stopped linking injury after injury, from his double diplopia to the recent fracture of his right thumb, which has already made him miss three of the four great prizes that have been disputed.
Association with Kalex
But at Honda and, especially, in its competition department (Honda Racing Corporation), where more than 100 engineers live, know that they are still far from the best, especially from the Italian firm Ducatigreat dominator with her powerful ‘Desmosedici’ of the MotoGP World Cup.
And, in this sense, Honda has long since intensified (much to their regret) their collaboration with the German firm Kalex Engineeringwhich, in 2010, began to supply special chassis to certain teams, such as the Spanish site pons and, in 2011, the German Setefan BradlCuriously, now a Honda test rider, he was proclaimed world champion with a Kalex chassis.
Kalex had already supplied a new swingarm to Honda earlier this year, which MM93 had praised
The German firm already supplied, a few months ago, a new swingarm for Márquez’s Honda RC213V, who praised its efficiency, the improvement it represented for his bike, but asked that they continue developing the idea of making a complete chassis. Some information claimed, two weeks ago, when the Jerez test took place (April 12), in which the veteran shone greatly Catalan rider Dani Pedrosa (KTM), that Bradl had already tested the new chassis. It was not so. The German only tested some aerodynamic improvements but never the new Kalex chassis, which, in those days, was being checked and heavily checked by HRC engineers, who are extremely careful with all their standards, quality protocols and manufacturing rules. , especially if the parts come from an external collaborator, even if it is of proven efficiency and quality such as Kalex.
Upset with Rins
The new chassis is hidden in the Honda truck these days, not the Repsol Honda team, parked in the ‘paddock’ of Jerez after, in effect, having successfully passed all the tests, not only of reliability, durability and quality, but also having been tested in the most extreme race conditions. The new chassis that, unfortunately for Honda, will not be able to be tested next Monday by Márquez, will only be in the hands of Joan Mir, the official teammate of the champion from Cervera (Lleida).
It is true that although these parts are often (almost) unique, everything seems to indicate that given the tremendous difficulties that, once again, the Hondas are going through in Jerez (neither Àlex Rins, recent winner in the USA, nor Mir have qualified this morning for Q2 of the Spanish GP), the HRC technical staff could also make the new chassis available to Rins next Monday, despite the fact that the heads of HRC are “very, very, hurt ” due to the statements made by the pilot from Lleida, who complains that the winged firm does not allow him to test new material despite being, according to his contract, an official pilot.
The Japanese, yes. have let Rins know that if he makes public statements againcritical of the way your company works, will take the appropriate measures in the following races.
The definitive appearance and premiere of the chassis developed by Kalex for Honda will probably not solve all the problems that the RC213V has, but it will help make the bike, supposedly, more competitive. The riders complain that the bike is excellent when they start to put in gears, first, second and third but, in the last stretch of power, when putting in the higher gears, the bike stops being as competitive as the others, especially Ducati and Aprilia.