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2026-08-03 14:23 UTC → 2026-08-04 12:53 UTC ·
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Entering the 2026 MotoGP season with high expectations after a strong 2025, Honda has struggled to match its previous form. After eleven rounds the team has collected only rounds, Honda have 109 points, well far below the 141 points at the same stage last year, and has secured with only a single podium in Barcelona. Team boss Alberto Puig acknowledged says modest progress on the RC213V but said technical gains have has not yet translated into race results, and a major performance leap in the second half of the season looks unlikely. Development focus is already shifting toward the 2027 machine, results and the RC213V will receive that no major upgrades will be introduced for the remainder rest of the 2026 campaign. as development shifts to the 2027 850 cc package. Riders Joan Mir and Luca Marini report persistent qualifying difficulties, continue to struggle in qualifying, often starting far back on near the grid back and having to give “150 %” with the current package. unchanged bike; Mir notes there are “no new improvements,” while Marini suggested rival manufacturers suggests rivals may withhold performance on Fridays, gaining an advantage on Saturdays. While Fridays. The team’s disappointment was underscored by a fifth‑place sprint finish for Marini in Austin and a similar result for Johann Zarco in Barcelona, leaving Honda works to extract maximum from the existing bike, rivals such as in a lower concession group despite a strong 2025. Rivals Ducati, Aprilia, Yamaha and KTM continue to contest for victories, leaving Honda under pressure to close the gap before the season’s end. remain competitive.