At the end of this year, the 30-year agreement between Honda HRC and Repsol will expire. Does this move mean something? Is there even a possibility of abandoning MotoGP? Internal rumors rule it out and Puig’s contract also expires at the end of the year…
September 10, 2024
You’ve already read that one of the most profitable sports partnerships of all time will not be renewed. It was Repsol who announced that it will leave Honda HRC on December 31st, after thirty years and fifteen world titles between 500 and MotoGP. Big stuff, those were the colors of champions like Doohan, Crivillè, Rossi, Hayden, Stoner, Marquez…
It is very likely that the poor results of recent years have weighed in Repsol’s decision, but in reality the budget put on the table by the Spanish oil group had been of little importance in the HRC budget for some time. Voices close to Honda would confirm that Repsol had asked for a reduction in sponsorship and HRC did not give up, as if to be told no.
Could another main sponsor be on the way? It doesn’t seem like it, but at the same time Honda’s budget for its lubricants is growing more and more: sponsorship contracts like Repsol used to be (and Castrol used to be…) would therefore lose their meaning.
However, doubts are growing: will Honda continue in MotoGP? Many fans and insiders are worried. And even within the Honda structure there is fear, even if there are comforting signs: the budgets for example would be confirmed.
What is not seen and what would be useful are moves worthy of Honda. Once, when a project failed there were two others in an advanced stage, today it would be useful to at least move on the technicians market as KTM and Yamaha did, to shorten times. As Livio Suppo did in 2012, when he brought to Honda some engineers who worked for Ducati…
Of course, it should also be considered that from 2027 MotoGP will change very profoundly: the regulation is designing the 850s of the near future and they will be new prototypes, to be completely redesigned. Could Honda have directed resources into that new project?
We have said it several times in DopoGP and Bernardelle was clear: in any case Honda should change its managers as soon as possible, those who have the main roles in racing and who have made serious mistakes. Now Alberto Puig could perhaps jump: we understand that his contract expires at the end of the year.
