Honda currently ranks fifth out of six in the Constructors’ Championship after seven races in 2021 as all of its drivers battled for form on the tricky RC213V.
After a promising five days of testing in Qatar and a podium pace in both Losail races, Espargaro’s first Honda season failed to deliver on that early promise. The Spaniard’s best result so far is eighth in the Grand Prix of Qatar and France.
Espargaro crashed at the Catalonia GP last weekend and admits his morale is low but believes he can change Honda fortunes just as he did at KTM.
“Well, no, my morale was low here before,” said Espargaro.
“In the first few years at KTM I was in this situation, had a lot of problems and not the best bike, and we turned the situation around. I have a feeling we are going to change the situation.
“I don’t know when or if it will start tomorrow because I think to understand that we need large chunks to make it and I think we are still learning how to manage.
“But in one phase we will certainly turn it around, the only question is when.”
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Team-mate Marc Marquez also crashed at the GP of Catalonia after the “best seven laps of the year” when he was on the podium.
Marquez explains that the main problem with the 2021 RC213V is due to a lack of grip on the rear wheel, which results in poor acceleration but also causes problems when braking.
“Basically, it’s easy to say, but difficult to win and just pinpoint the way to improve,” said Marquez.
“But it’s true, we have a problem, that is that we don’t get any grip on the acceleration side and we can’t stop the bike when we enter because we don’t have any grip at the rear either.
“There are two different problems in two different areas, but I think the solution is the same.
“When we stop we brake late, but when we stop with a lot of corners, these things happen like me and Pol today.” [crashes].
“In order to understand and give, you slow down, you will not fall. But another point is that we lose a lot on the acceleration side because we don’t get the grip. If you lose on the acceleration side, you lose the whole straight.
“All of these things don’t help over the race distance.”
Should Honda fail to reach a podium in 2021, it will receive concessions for the next season that will allow it to conduct engine development and private testing with its racers during the season.
However, Marquez doesn’t think Honda will get that far as he believes it will take a podium, but Espargaro admitted that HRC would now welcome those benefits.