**”Nakagami Identifies 2022 Concept Shift as Turning Point for Honda’s MotoGP Struggles: ‘This is Not Honda Bike Anymore!'”**

"This isn't a Honda bike!" – Nakagami identifies the shift in the 2022 MotoGP design: "We lost our direction after this."

"They altered several key concepts in an effort to enhance rear grip, and that's when we lost our way."

Takaaki Nakagami, who is set to transition to Honda's test and wild-card roles next season, has pinpointed the instant he believes the manufacturer's MotoGP project started falling behind its competitors.

Since making his debut in the top tier in 2018 with LCR Honda, Nakagami firmly believes that the manufacturer can once again achieve MotoGP success, though he cautions that significant adjustments are necessary.

He mentioned that HRC used to have one of the top bikes, but currently, something seems to be lacking. He expressed confidence that HRC will return to the top soon, although he acknowledged that it will be challenging and that there are numerous changes that need to be made.

Following their dominance at the conclusion of the 500cc era, Honda secured ten MotoGP riders’ championships between 2002 and 2019 under the four-stroke regulations.

However, since Marc Marquez’s arm injuries in 2020, there have only been four race victories, with the latest being a surprising win by Alex Rins at COTA last year.

As Marquez transitions to Gresini Ducati and Rins moves to Monster Yamaha, Honda's top performance this season has been a ninth place in a Sprint race and only a 12th place in a grand prix.

When questioned about when the RC213V started falling behind its competitors, the Japanese responded:

"I sense a shift in 2022. The reason for this is that in 2022, they overhauled the bike's design entirely. I distinctly recall that when I first rode this newly conceptualized bike, my reaction was, 'wow, this isn't a Honda bike anymore!'"

"In the past, the bike had a very short wheelbase, and its greatest strength was its braking ability. However, the front end always seemed to be the limiting factor."

"They experimented with various concepts to enhance rear grip, but eventually lost their direction and were unable to achieve the correct balance."

"With the addition of the aerodynamic and ride height adjustments, along with several other factors, things became more complicated. We struggled to achieve a proper balance for the bike. Ultimately, our difficulties began in 2022."

Marquez hasn't secured a victory for Honda since the year 2021.

Nakagami was the second-best RCV competitor in 2022, securing three top-eight placements before getting hurt in a crash with Marquez when he returned to Aragon following additional arm surgery.

The 32-year-old mentioned that although focusing on the rear grip occasionally yielded positive results, they were unable to achieve the ideal balance.

“The idea was to significantly enhance the rear grip. So, if you inquire about which year had the best grip, it would be the 2022 bike due to this design. However, achieving a proper balance was challenging, and the front end was consistently hard to manage," Nakagami explained.

"Qualifying sessions went well because the new tires provided excellent grip, allowing us to consistently improve our lap times. However, maintaining that performance was challenging and remained uncertain."

Maintaining grip and balance continues to be a major focus for Honda at present, and these issues will undoubtedly be key areas of responsibility for Nakagami in his new position as a test rider.

Nakagami mentioned, "I'll be serving as a test rider in Japan and Europe, and I'll also compete in a few races as a wild-card entry. This is undoubtedly a significant shift, but I've felt like something has been lacking over the past few years. I have the speed, but for various reasons, I haven't been able to achieve the results I desire."

"I aim to accelerate Japan’s development. There are numerous areas for enhancement, and I can communicate these directly to the Japanese engineers."

"Currently, for instance, we are situated in Europe, and within this paddock, we have no information about what the HRC team is experimenting with in Japan. This is an area where I can make significant improvements."

"It's about creating stronger ties between Japan, the paddock, and the European test team. They need to grasp my approach, and we also need to exchange a lot of information so that everyone comprehends all aspects. This is what HRC is currently lacking."

"This new chapter in my life is incredibly thrilling. I'm feeling fantastic about it. I'm also pleased for Chantra. I'll do my best to assist him in adapting because Moto2 and MotoGP are worlds apart. I aim to share my experience to guide him through some aspects."

Nakagami is beginning his last eight races as a full-time competitor at Misano this weekend. Despite being Honda's leading rider in the world championship rankings, he is currently positioned at 18th.

Somkiat Chantra, a Moto2 race victor, will step in for Nakagami and team up with Johann Zarco as he makes his first MotoGP appearance during the post-race test in Valencia this November.

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