Luca Marini said Honda made clear progress with its RC213V bike during the 2025 MotoGP season opener in Thailand. According to Marini, technical updates and adjustments to riding style improved corner-exit drive and stability, resolving previous chatter issues and enhancing overall performance, though challenges with rear grip and tire potential remain.
Marini credited Honda’s progress to a combination of technical updates and adjustments in riding style developed over the course of the 2024 season. Speaking at the MotoGP season opener in Thailand in March 2025, he said the team “worked a lot during last season” and reached “a good balance” by the end of it. According to Marini, the RC213V’s persistent chatter issue, which had plagued the bike in previous years, was “completely solved” through a series of setup changes rather than a single fix. He described the bike as “good” and acknowledged that Honda has “found more performance,” though he emphasized that further work remains.
Marini explained that increasing aggression on the throttle, particularly involving “a lot of rear brake,” can trigger vibrations, limiting the bike’s potential.
The rider highlighted rear grip as the central challenge still facing Honda, directly impacting corner-exit drive. He noted that corner-entry behavior has improved due to changes in how the bike is ridden into turns, a shift from Honda’s previous difficulties. Motorsport Magazine quoted Marini explaining that Honda had long struggled with corner entry, forcing him to compromise his natural riding style. Despite these improvements, Marini said the bike still struggles to fully exploit the new soft rear Michelin tyre introduced in 2024, which offers increased grip but also tends to induce chatter.
The rear-tyre issue became more pronounced with Michelin’s revised 2024 rear tyre, which produced extra grip but triggered vibrations that affected stability. Crash.net reported that while Ducati and Aprilia found ways to avoid these problems, Yamaha, KTM, and Honda continued to face challenges. Marini detailed how the new tyre’s increased grip can push the front of the bike when the rear slides back, complicating the final phase of cornering. He cited Thailand’s Turn 4 as an example, recalling a “big vibration” there in 2024 that was notably reduced in the 2025 race, indicating measurable improvement.
Honda’s technical updates in 2025 included changes to the RC213V’s chassis and aerodynamic components, according to Honda Racing Corporation’s social media posts and related reports. These updates aim to strengthen stability under braking, improve cornering confidence, and enhance rear traction on corner exit. Marini confirmed that progress became more noticeable in the latter part of the 2025 season, with improvements resulting from a broader technical package rather than isolated modifications.
Despite the gains, Marini said Honda still cannot fully exploit the soft rear tyre’s potential, which limits race-day strategy options. He described the bike as “more competitive than before,” but noted it remains insufficiently strong in key areas over a race distance. Honda’s development focus continues to balance braking behavior, corner-exit drive, and vibration prevention. Marini indicated that further updates are expected soon, though he added that fans and rivals will have to “wait a little bit more” for their arrival.
Honda’s ongoing development efforts reflect a longer-term rebuild of the RC213V after a difficult period marked by stability and grip issues. Marini’s comments suggest the worst of the chatter problems have been addressed, but corner-exit drive remains a significant development target. Honda Racing Corporation’s 2026 reports and rider feedback have consistently highlighted braking stability and rear grip as key areas for improvement. Progress appears incremental, combining rider adaptation, setup refinement, and hardware upgrades, with the objective of producing a package capable of consistently competing at the front across diverse circuits.
