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Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team
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Analysis

The impossible problem Honda faces with its 2021 MotoGP bike

Honda hasn’t enjoyed an easy start to the 2021 MotoGP campaign, despite gains last season which looked to have carried over into the pre-season. Now admitting it does have issues in serious need of resolving, it faces an almost impossible task in doing so.

Take a glance at the current world championship standings ahead of the French Grand Prix and you’ll see a sight that should utterly delight Aprilia’s PR department. After four races in 2021, Honda is second from last in the MotoGP constructors’ table, two points behind Aprilia – its points haul basically a one-man effort courtesy of an in-form Aleix Espargaro.

What does this tell us about the pecking order? Well, after four-successive top 10 finishes so far, Aprilia has genuinely brought a package that – with a few more tweaks – can start to knock on the door of the podium. But does Aprilia really have a better motorcycle than Honda?

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