Livio Suppo Discusses Honda’s Chances in the 2023 Season

Jakarta – The Repsol Honda Factory Team is diligently preparing for optimal performance in the 2023 season, according to Livio Suppo. He argues that Honda has no reason to underperform this year.

Previously, Honda sought to boost their lineup by signing Jon Mil and Alex Rins. They then brought back Kawa Nakagami as a new technical manager, aiming for a resurgence. Suppo highlights Honda’s impressive record, with nine world championships and 65 premier class titles, positioning them as one of the strongest manufacturers in the sport.

Stating that Honda can’t be blamed if riders fail to deliver, Suppo emphasizes their strong roster: “Honda now has two former world champions – a rider who won two of the last three races (unspecified) and Nakagami, who has proven himself much better than previous riders. They don’t have rookies; it’s for other reasons that someone isn’t there,” he said on January 31st, citing MotoGP.com.

Regarding the retention of Mil and Rins for the 2023 season, Suppo sees it as a positive injection of energy. Having worked closely with them at Suzuki in 2022 as team manager, Suppo assessed their character and potential at Honda based on their experience with a single-cylinder engine.

“Both Jon and Alex only have MotoGP experience with Suzuki. They’re used to a four-stroke engine, which some riders in the paddock might perceive as easier to handle compared to a V4,” Suppo explained. “But if they can put that aside and adapt to building bikes for a new team, it could be beneficial for Honda. It won’t be easy, considering the shadow of Marc Marquez,” he added.

Noting that it’s been over a decade since anyone else achieved more points without Marquez, Suppo recalled Honda’s last win without him in 2017, emphasizing the challenge ahead.