"Honda is an easy bike"

Alberto Puig refers to the sender the accusations of a Honda that is difficult to drive: "Ten MotoGP titles with four different drivers".

Repsol Honda ended the 2019 MotoGP season with the overwhelming victory of Marc Marquez. The champion of Cervera has concluded 18 GPs on 19 always in the first two positions (12 victories). Only fall in Austin while he was largely leading the race. An unquestionable success for the Japanese company, tenth in the last 18 years. And in front of a future that appears very rosy if the Cervera champion decides to extend the contract with HRC.

But not all donuts succeed with the hole and Jorge Lorenzo represents a black page for Honda. The pentacampione has never managed to adapt to the RC213V, reserves have also arrived from Cal Crutchlow, soon they could even arrive from the newly arrived Alex Maquez. Alberto Puig admits some defects on the Asaka prototype, but it is still the most successful bike of the last decades. And waves the Triple Crown in front of Ducati and Yamaha. "Unfortunately Jorge couldn't find his way on our bike. He made a decision that we respect, for us it remains the sore point of this year … If you have a driver who doesn't adapt to the bike, then it's always difficult for everyone. Try to give him the tools to do a good job, but it doesn't work. This is difficult for everyone, there is not much more to say".

To those who accuse Honda of having a motorcycle with which only a driver can win, Alberto Puig rattles off historical statistics. "I don't think it's a fact. It's just an opinion. For the past 18 years, Honda has won the MotoGP title ten times and with four different drivers. Yamaha with two riders and Ducati with one. Based on these facts, one could say that Honda is the simplest bike in the World Championship".

In the past, Ducati leaders have pointed out that the GP19 has triumphed with both official riders, words that do not weigh on Puig's tough nature. "I don't know what other teams say, we don't really care. The overall performance of a team does not depend only on the bike or the driver, but on the whole structure. Each team makes its way and must try to make the most of it. If we have this pilot we can't do anything about it. Others can also try to have it. Honda has won many titles with several drivers, including Rossi, Hayden, Marc, Casey. So I think it's just an idea, not a fact".