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The break up between Marc Marquez and Honda was a tsunami with consequences that reached all the way to the Superbike. Xavi Vierge spoke of this with AS. Xavi is part of the HRC team along with Iker Lecuona in the SBK World Championship.
“Márquez’s decision didn’t go unnoticed because everything is connected,” the Spanish rider explained. “That's why it took so long to announce the renewals. There was a moment when it seemed that it could affect us,” Iker had been indicated as Marc’s possible replacement in HRC, “but, for both them and us, the goal is to have Honda win the Superbike World Championship. The goal isn’t getting in the top three, but to win.”
Yes, win. A word that’s often repeated in HRC because they aren’t succeeding in either category.
“It was a very complicated year and, at the same time, very good, because I managed to get my first Superbike podium in the second race of the season. It was special,” Vierge said, after he ended the season last weekend in Jerez, satisfied with his overall top ten. “In such a difficult season, it made us salvage the situation. Winning in my first participation in the Suzuka 8 Hours was also incredible, which is so important for HRC, and even more so in such a critical year for Honda.”
Vierge recently visited the UMA Racing Team in Malaga with Pont Group as part of a project led by students from the School of Industrial Engineering at the University of Malaga, where they’re working towards designing a prototype with which to participate in the MotoStudent international university competition.
Then Xavi also talked about what Superbike will be like in 2024.
The Spanish rider also admitted that the level of the WorldSBK in the upcoming season will be very high.
“It’ll be much higher because of all the changes and the new riders,” he emphasized. “We’re pushing the team and ourselves. In three months, we have to turn the situation around. I should improve in view of 2024 by focusing a little more on myself. When you know you have the level, but you don’t get there, you feel frustrated, so I have to learn to manage it.”
