Injured and ill riders at Honda: Could this have consequences for the 850cc project?

Bitter news for Honda in Australia – Luca Marini’s withdrawal leaves the pit completely empty – Team principal Alberto Puig comments on the implications for 2027

For the Honda works team, the Australian Grand Prix has come to a premature end. Luca Marini completed just one timed lap in Friday morning’s practice session before returning to the pits. He also sat out the second Friday practice session to rest.

On Saturday morning, his medical condition was reassessed by the doctors. It was ultimately decided that Marini could not ride. The Italian had already travelled to Australia in a physically weakened state.

MotoGP Chief Medical Officer Dr Angel Charte explains: “Over the past week, Luca Marini has been suffering from a viral infection and had a high fever for three to four days. For the past 48 to 72 hours, he has been experiencing muscle weakness as a result of the virus.”

“This affects both his upper and lower body. During the most recent examination on Saturday morning, he continued to show the same symptoms and was declared unfit to ride.”

The Honda factory team would have competed at Phillip Island with Marini alone anyway. Joan Mir missed his fourth consecutive race weekend due to physical problems. Neither of the two test riders were available either.

Takaaki Nakagami broke his left collarbone during the first practice session at his wildcard appearance in Motegi in early October. Aleix Espargaro had to undergo surgery because he had recently been suffering from arm pump.

However, there is hope that Mir will return this coming weekend at the Malaysian Grand Prix, as team principal Alberto Puig explained to MotoGP.com.

“I think – without wanting to make any guarantees or promises here – that he should normally be back in Sepang. These problems started for him in Misano, in Italy, when he wasn’t feeling well. He simply couldn’t get back on his feet.”

“He underwent blood tests and many other examinations, and some irregularities were found. It now appears he has been working very intensively with the doctors on this. It looks as though he has been given the green light for Sepang.”

In Australia, Honda will therefore only be competing with the satellite team LCR and its two riders, Johann Zarco and Diogo Moreira. The works team began dismantling the pit on Saturday.

Will there be any implications for the Honda RC214V for 2027?

Behind the scenes, a crucial phase is currently underway with a view to 2027, as preparations for the new 850cc prototypes for the 2027 season are in full swing at all five manufacturers.

On the one hand, Nakagami, who has carried out the most testing on the Honda RC214V, is injured. On the other hand, arm pump meant that Espargaro was unable to compete on race Sunday in Indonesia as a replacement for Mir.

After Indonesia, Espargaro tested the RC214V in Sepang. As arm pump recurred, he had to undergo surgery on his forearms. It is not known when Nakagami and Espargaro will be able to ride again.

Could this have a lasting impact on the 2027 development programme at a crucial stage? “So we’re just having a bit of bad luck at the moment, or whatever you want to call it,” says Puig.

“ It’s certainly not the best moment, but well, we just have to carry on. I think the development of the bike is still progressing and is, on the whole, on schedule.”

“So I wouldn’t claim by any means that this is halting the bike’s development. It’s true, of course, that Taka would certainly have done more testing in Sepang had he not been injured, but Aleix was at least able to test quite a bit last week.”

“After that, he returned to Spain and underwent surgery. Nevertheless, the development of the bike isn’t fundamentally different from what we had planned.”

‘Of course, it’s not ideal – I won’t try to fool anyone about that – but we had a good test in Austria. We gathered some very important feedback there because we had three riders available. In that respect, the whole thing is, shall we say, not the end of the world.’

In 2027, Honda will field a new line-up of riders. Fabio Quartararo and Diogo Moreira will race for the factory team. At LCR, alongside veteran Zarco, rookie David Alonso will be given a chance. Marini is moving to Tech3-KTM and Mir to Gresini-Ducati.