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It’s been a demanding and often difficult season for Team HRC so far in the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. Poor weather blighted testing with their new bike, Iker Lecuona missed the first round of the year through injury and the opposition have all made a step, meaning Honda’s development and progress has been overshadowed. After seven rounds of the season, we caught up with team manager Jose Escamez to get his thoughts on the year so far.

OPEN AND HONEST: “We’re not in a place or position we thought we were going to be”

“It's true that we're not in a place or position we thought we were going to be as with this new model and we had a lot of expectations,” began a frank and direct Escamez, new in the job for 2024 after Leon Camier’s departures. “It's true that it has been harder than expected and actually, sometimes, it can be frustrating to see that we're not performing at the level we believe we can be.

“At Misano with Iker, we saw some potential after testing a lot. We got some new ideas that we thought coule be worthy and then at Most - not at Donington, definitely, as we knew that it wasn't a track that plays to our bike - we saw some improvements and we made steps. We need to prove that it wasn't a coincidence and that it was just a step forward. At Portimao, the gap is closer but it's always been like that; it's not something we can take seriously so we'll need to confirm it once again in the coming races. We continue to develop the bike to the highest level but it's been hard. We know that there are some priorities within the company and it's not easy to make the right steps quicker.”

Speaking about dealing with Honda’s lack of performance and what exactly the struggles are, Escamez explained: “We need to accept it, keep working and the most important thing is that the team is doing the maximum and with good will. Even the riders, where in general, they always want the best and emotions can be like a rollercoaster. They're doing their best every time they go to the track and I take that as a positive. The biggest challenge is that we're still struggling with something from the past: stopping the bike, turning it and improving drive grip. These are they key points that we need to improve but this is something we're dragging from previous years. There have been some improvements but we can't see it reflected due to other manufacturers making a big step.”

NEW PARTS TO COME? “At Aragon's test, we expect to try some new items that can perhaps help us in the last part of the season”

Talking about whether or not there’ll be new parts in the second half of the year – either at races or at tests, he confirmed: “Yes. We don't know yet whether they'll be positive or not. At Aragon's test, we expect to try some new items that can perhaps help us in the last part of the season, which would also be good for 2025. We have superconcessions but in the end, we didn't homologate any new parts because we are not capable to do a development quicker than what we are. It's a pity but we can use these tests to try different parts which otherwise, we couldn't test.”

The Aragon test is of particular interest, with the track having a new surface. This usually offers higher grip than normal and with Honda’s issue of generating grip, could this mask their problem? “I don't think this test can be comparitive to previous years as the track has been resurfaced. Withna different asphalt, we don't know how grippy it will be but that is our weakness. So far, it should be realistic or give us an idea of how the last part of the season will be and moving forward to 2025.”

TEST TEAM? “It’s something that we want to improve and could be one of the possibilities”

At the Cremona test in May, Team HRC were working with their British Superbike counterparts and Escamez explained exactly why: “When the BSB guys came to Cremona to test, we invited them to join us as they're inside the Honda family and there's people with a lot of experience with the Fireblade. It's helpful for us and for them and they're working a lot and really well too with all their experience. Maybe we can take profit of that. They have developed their own bike but it’s nothing related to using their suspensions or brakes or anything like that. Maybe we can get inputs to develop and improve our bike.”

With all other teams having a dedicated test rider – or in BMW’s case, test team – based in Europe, is this an option that could help Honda’s progression back to the top? “It could be one of the plans, to use this structure that has so much experience and the fact that they’re doing such an amazing job. However, it’s something that we want to improve and it could be one of the possibilities of course.”

2025 TALK: “There’s not going to be any excuses… the whole company has made some movements on the strategy”

2025’s strategy is underway and Escamez believes it will be a far more prosperous season: “I have no doubt about it. We are working already on our 2025 strategy and I think, so far, we’re close to getting it all defined. I personally think that it will be so much better because the company has been putting such a huge effort to turn to the places where we want to be. There’s not going to be any excuses. We are quite honest with ourselves and we know that it’s going to be really challenging, even more than in the past probably because the situation we are facing right now, it could be seen as worse than before. The season is not over yet and we’re not going to give up easily. I’m quite sure about this because the company has made some movements on the strategy for next year which I think will be in the right direction. I see the effort they are putting; nobody is happy with these results and how the season is going so far. I talk by facts and that the reactions the whole company is taking.

“It’s never easy to make a prediction about how it’s going to be in 12 months because when I started this season, I thought we are going to be much better than right now. I have a positive way of thinking and I can see that we are going to be much, much better and at least not in the situation we are facing so far. There are still a lot of things to do and the season isn’t over. We’re not going to stop until we are fighting for wins or the Championship, which is our only target.”

Confirming that both riders will stay for a fourth consecutive season – the most stable of any official team in WorldSBK in the same period – Escamez stated: “Our riders have two years on their contract which is 2024 and 2025 and we’ll keep this. At this moment, it’ll be the same riders that we have right now. The bike has already had the launch presentation for next year, with some minor changes but it’ll be pretty much the same bike.”

A NEW JOB: “I’m only trying to think in the future, dreaming about being where we want to be”

To conclude and on a personal note, how has the ex-MotoGP™ engineer – who has worked alongside Marc Marquez and even back to Max Biaggi – found his time in his first WorldSBK year? “Overall, I take this as a positive experience and of course, it’s not easy to raise a project like this up. I don’t want to look back, only forward. I’m only trying to think in the future, dreaming about being where we want to be.”

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