These comments come after HRC team principal Alberto Puig announced to Motorsport.com that Honda will change its philosophy of motorcycle development not only because of the serious arm injury Marquez sustained in 2020.
Puig made these comments in response to criticism that Honda has put too much emphasis on building a bike just for Marquez at the expense of a more user-friendly package for its other riders.
This is due to recent results, with Marquez currently the best Honda runner in 10th place overall and already taking HRC’s two podiums in 2020 despite missing the first two laps of the current campaign.
But Marquez has also found it tough this year, listing the most falls of anyone by age 18 – something largely due to the physical limitations he’s struggling with but also due to the Honda 2021’s lack of grip .
Even so, Espargaro – who struggled to adapt to the Honda in 2021 – says Honda must continue to follow Marquez’s guidance in bike development.
“Well, in the end, Marc is the fastest so the factory has to follow what Marc says,” remarked Espargaro when asked by Motorsport.com if he thought Puig’s comments were correct.
“It’s easy and the most obvious thing the factory has to do – follow the fast guy.
“The factory cannot follow [the words] that would be a huge problem for the slower guys in the factory.
“And it’s natural to follow what Marc says who’s the fastest and I think it’s smart.”
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Espargaro continued to commend Honda for the work currently being done to improve the motorcycle, pointing out that the restrictions on engine development imposed by COVID have been a limiting factor for HRC this year.
“And then about the factory’s philosophy, I don’t know,” he added. “Honda is actually working for the future, for next year’s motorcycle.
“I don’t know if we’ll try the test here [next week] something new, or from this current bike we’re using, or maybe something from next year.
“I have no idea but I know they are working and with this COVID ban they have a lot to try when they talk about the engines and the COVID restrictions [which meant] we couldn’t use it [a new engine] this year. So we’ll see. “