Positive on track debut for Honda HRC Castrol as 2025 begins in Malaysia

Winter has officially ended as the MotoGP paddock returned to the track at the Sepang International Circuit for the first day of testing, Joan Mir showing early progress in sixth and Luca Marini ending 0.6s behind for 15th, the pair motivated after a day of progress.

Just days after revealing the colours of the 2025 season, the Honda HRC Castrol team were out on track for the traditional start of season test. Three days of running at the 5.54-kilometer-long track present the first chance for teams and riders to get acquainted with their 2025 machines. For the likes of Joan Mir and Luca Marini, Wednesday allowed them to remount the revised Honda RC213V machine for the first time since November – engineers and technicians busily working on upgrades and revisions over the winter.

Starting off on a bike similar to the one he ended the Solidarity GP on, Joan Mir spent the day comparing and contrasting as he and his team assessed a variety of new components for the Honda HRC Castrol machine. Completing a total of 54 laps, the double World Champion ended the first day of the new season in sixth with a best time of 1’58.115 late in the day. The entirety of the day left Mir more than pleased with the work done over the winter as the #36 felt he was now able to ride more comfortably and naturally on the Honda RC213V.

Luca Marini was full of enthusiasm to begin his second year in the factory Honda HRC Castrol team, the Italian heading out on track as soon as pit lane was open. A typical day for the hard-working Italian who completed 60 laps and began to build the base for the year. Several new staff inside the garage helped to buoy Marini, who is optimistic about the current direction the team are heading. He finished 15th overall thanks to a best time of 1’58.704 and is aiming to close the gap to his teammate when he returns to the Malaysian circuit tomorrow.

Thursday, February 6, saw the riders back out on track for the second of three days in Sepang. The Honda HRC engineers still have plenty for Mir and Marini to try and continue their preparations for what is already shaping up to be an intense and close fought year.

Joan Mir
6th (1’58.115)

“Today we have been trying two different bikes, not fully one old and one new, and we got through a lot of work already in the morning. In the afternoon we focused more on short term gains and every exit I was able to improve and go faster, ending the day fast on new and used tyres. I am happy because we understood the direction we want to continue for this test, a setting and geometry that allowed me to ride how I want to ride and smile while doing it. Honda has brought a package that allows me to do what I want on the bike; that’s the key point. I was happy and smiling on every exit because I was enjoying riding it. We still need to improve things, but we are able to be closer and ride better. The next two days we will try to gain in those other areas, but a really good first day of testing.”

Luca Marini
15th (1’58.704)
“Overall it was a positive first day of the test, like always there is a lot of work to do. We mostly compared the new bike and the old bike to see where the positives of each are to try and find the best possible situation. Honda HRC has done a huge amount of work over the winter and Romano Albesiano’s presence is already being felt in the garage and I think everything will continue in this positive direction the more time we have together. How I am working with Christian Pupulin, my new crew chief, is also positive and we are collaborating well with the setup of the bike. Tomorrow our objective is to keep working through the big list of parts we have to try.”

source: Honda Racing Corporation