MotoGP, Doohan: "Honda must change mentality. Taking on Espargaro is positive."

It was 1994 when Mick Doohan won the first of his five World Championship titles in the MotoGP 500 class. Bound by a double thread to Honda, 30 years after that milestone, the Australian rider spoke about the difficult time the company is experiencing in racing.

"I've been with them for a long time, and I was only signing 12-month contracts because there was no other manufacturer that was as committed to the pursuing a victory, both in terms of technical staff and the support provided. Consequently, it's disappointing to see them in the position they're in at the moment," he said, when speaking with Crashnet.

"I personally believe that the pandemic challenged the Japanese manufacturers,while the European manufacturers were able to continue in the development of electronics and other areas. They'll become competitive again but, to do so, they'll have to change their mentality," he argued, then he made a comparison with his direct rival.

"At Yamaha, they seem to have identified the right steps they need to take in order to succeed as early as next year, and I hope Honda will also continue down that path. It's good to have so many competing brands fighting for the championship," he remarked.

Speaking then of his era and his victories, the 59-year-old said: "It seems like a lifetime ago. I have great memories. I loved racing, the work to face, and the effort required. Fulfilling the dream of the world championship was a relief. I had come close a couple of times, but then there were injuries and several technical problems that stopped me. Once I achieved the title, however, I knew it was only the beginning, since one wasn't enough for me."

Bringing up the rear for the third consecutive year in the MotoGP, the Hamamatsu-based manufacturer sought to invest for the future by hiring an expert like Romano Albesiano as technical director and a veteran rider like Espargaro in the role of test rider. "Having secured Aleix as a tester is a good move. They need someone who's fast and ccapable of understandinf what the bike needs in order to progress," he concluded, with his opinion on 2025.