Escamez explains Honda’s switch to Ohlins suspension: "We’ve found, quickly, the right way to keep going…"
Honda will use Ohlins suspension in 2025 after switching brands, with the Japanese manufacturer testing with Xavi Vierge and Tetsuta Nagashima at Jerez
Honda have changed suspension for the 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with Ohlins coming onto the scene once again. Team Manager Jose Escamez spoke about Honda’s opening day at Jerez, with only Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) on track from the race team, with Iker Lecuona missing out as he recovers from a training injury, as well as the reason behind the switch to Ohlins suspension for this season.
Vierge was the fastest rider on the CBR1000RR-R machine as he finished in seventh place, setting a 1’39.916s and completing 81 laps as he got back up to speed and tested the new suspension. He was joined by test rider Tetsuta Nagashima with the Japanese star also racking up 81 laps as he added valuable mileage and data for Honda in Lecuona’s absence. Nagashima’s best time was a 1’41.498s.
Reviewing Day 1 from his perspective, Escamez was happy that Honda have started 2025 as they ended 2024: “The day has been good because the weather has respected the predictions from Tuesday. So far, we are good enough, we can say but not happy at all. It’s quite good. Xavi has been doing laps and everything looks as we expected. This means we’re in the same way that we finished last year, which is already a positive point. We’re still looking forward.”
Honda had previously used Ohlins suspension before a switch to Showa for 2022, but have now reverted back to Ohlins although it’ll be the first time Vierge and Lecuona have raced the CBR1000RR-R machine with the Ohlins products – in 2020 and 2021, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) and Leon Haslam were on the machines. After making big progress throughout the 2024 season, Honda will be aiming to keep that going in 2025 and hoping the change of suspension supplier helps.
Discussing the move to Ohlins, Escamez said: “It’s going to be a way of creating or establishing a base setup. It’s been quite good. We have found, quickly, the right way to keep going. We have been working to find a good base setup, and this will help the riders feel comfortable for lap times, of course, and there are some differences with the previous suspension we’ve been using. Just trying to understand but there’s not much difference, though. There’s a small improvement in performance and also feedback from riders. It’s a fair enough reason to let them ride with this one.”
Can Honda continue to make gains? Find out by watching the 2025 season in full using the WorldSBK VideoPass!
