The Honda RC213V doesn't particularly seem to like the ups and downs at Mugello. All the Japanese manufacturer's riders struggled on this opening day of the Italian Grand Prix, during which none of them managed to gain direct access to the Q2. It was a complicated start, especially for Johann Zarco who was unable to get beyond a 17th time in Pre-Qualifying.
"The sensations were very similar to what I had in Aragon, and it's hard to accept, because I can't control the bike and perform well on the track," he admitted. "From the first time out this morning to the last one in the afternoon, everything we did to the bike gave me the same sensations. I always struggled the same way. It's difficult, because I can't understand why it happens. All I can say is that maybe we struggle more in high temperatures. Maybe we'll have to go back to the Thai settings to be able to have better control of the bike."
It was a very difficult Friday for the French rider who couldn't figure out what was wrong.
"In Aragon, we did something on Sunday, but I completely missed it on Saturday. While, here, I'll try to take progress tomorrow," he said. "I'm obviously disappointed. but I don't understand what it depends on. I tried to take everything into consideration ... the track, the bike, the rider. For my part, maybe what's wrong is that I lack performance, but it's hard to judge right now."
maybe the new swingarm tested in Aragon could've helped Honda, but they'll have to wait until September to use it.
"I don't know why we have to wait. Maybe it's because we only have one, and we can't use one swingarm for two bike, since, right now, given Marini's injury, there's only me and Mir who can do well with Honda. That means we need at least four swingarms for our two bikes, and we don't have them. That's that," he commented. "Push Honda to produce it? They have too much work to do and, even if they see that there's something that works, they have a work plan that might be different than other brands. That's why we have to accept that we can't use it now. Like I was saying, between Aragon and here, we're losing the feeling we had in terms of balancing the bike, and the only reason may be that it's the heat here that's giving us problems."
Is gtip the area where Honda loses the most?
"For me, it's more in entering, but the rear doesn't follow the front of the bike, and that could also depend on gtip," Zarco replied. "We struggle with the bike a lot, and we have to risk a lot. It's as if the bike doesn't touch the ground, and that's why we can't go fast. It's a really strange thing."