Honda Riders Eye Q2 Success Following Promising Practice at Indonesia MotoGP

Honda racers aim for Q2 after impressive practice in Indonesia MotoGP

Honda maintains strong performance on Friday at Mandalika

LCR Honda racer Johann Zarco feels that the improvements to the RC213V at Misano have provided the Japanese brand with a strong opportunity to qualify well in Q2 at the MotoGP Indonesian Grand Prix.

Honda introduced a new aerodynamic package at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix last week, which improved the turning and stability of the 2024 RC213V motorcycle, addressing issues that had previously been lacking.

Honda achieved its top performance of the season as Joan Mir secured an 11th place finish, surpassing his factory teammate Luca Marini.

The impressive performance persisted on Friday at Mandalika, as Zarco missed a Q2 position in practice by just 0.086 seconds, with Luca Marini trailing by an additional 0.010 seconds.

Zarco mentions that the progress Honda has made, along with the significantly different grip conditions at Mandalika compared to Misano, has given HRC a solid chance to secure only its second Q2 spot of the season.

Zarco mentioned that the new aerodynamic package has greatly enhanced the bike's turning ability and stability in high-speed corners.

"Misano went well. We received additional updates that proved beneficial there, and we made significant progress."

“However, all the participants performed exceptionally well in Misano, and the track conditions were ideal."

"Therefore, I believe every racer was in high spirits. This track isn't as favorable as Misano."

"I was aware that we had the potential to compete for Q2 and secure a strong position."

"My performance exceeded my expectations, which is really exciting. I aim to replicate this success and improve even further to increase my chances in the sprint race."

Mir finished in 19th place after the practice sessions on Friday but believes that Honda's performance is "comparable to Misano." He also shares Zarco's optimism about making it to Q2.

Nonetheless, Mir mentions that a vibration issue with the new tires, which appears to affect only him, might pose challenges during the qualifying session.

“It appears our potential is comparable to what it was in Misano,” he observed.

"That's definitely a positive. The track conditions are entirely different, with significantly lower grip. It's clear that the changes they've implemented are effective. Unlike at Misano, where we consistently found ourselves trailing behind, this is a noticeable improvement."

"It seems we have an opportunity here, particularly for me as I feel confident about my speed. However, when we switch to new tires, I encounter the same issue I faced during the first two days in Misano—vibrations. This problem prevents me from completing a full lap properly."

"We need to focus on that aspect to avoid having a challenging second day, like we did in Misano."

"Starting now, we should work on solving the issue and aim to perform well tomorrow. Let’s try to get closer to Q2 and secure a better starting position than we did in Misano. That's our strategy. Overall, I’m feeling positive."

When questioned about whether this weekend offers a strong opportunity for him to advance to Q2 for the first time this season, he responded: "Most likely, yes. I'm somewhat concerned about this vibration issue because it seems like I'm the only one experiencing it. Once I address this problem, there's significant potential, but we need to fix it because it's really bothering me."

"I particularly lose four-tenths of a second in two corners because of this. We need to figure it out, but the positive aspect is that other Honda riders experience it much less. This indicates there is significant room for improvement."

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