Honda HRC team launches 2025 World Superbike campa...

WorldSBK 2025

Honda

Simply days earlier than the 2025 Superbike World Championship kicks off in Australia, the Honda HRC workforce formally launched its 2025 marketing campaign, outlining objectives for the season with riders Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona.

The workforce’s 2025 CBR1000RR-R contains a placing new livery, showcasing new sponsor Ixon and technical companion Öhlins, who will help the workforce all through the season.  These partnerships complement long-standing collaborations with key companions comparable to Motul, Akrapovič, Nissin, One Coronary heart – Satu Hati, ASICS, Bonamici Racing, NGK, RK, Shindengen, STM, and Pirelli.

Over the winter, Honda’s engineers targeted on delivering updates to the CBR1000RR-R, enhancing areas comparable to set-up, electronics, and suspension.

The manufacturing unit workforce examined these enhancements throughout productive classes at each the Jerez Circuit in Spain and the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal.

The workforce’s aim stays clear: to construct on the progress made within the 2024 season and proceed striving for prime outcomes on monitor.

Xavi Vierge

This shall be your fourth season with the Honda HRC workforce. What have you ever realized over the past three years, and what’s your goal for 2025?

“We’ve realized an important deal, however I feel crucial factor has been understanding that it’s higher to work methodically and take stable steps, relatively than eager to go too quick and lose the best way. The primary goal is to start out the 2025 season no less than on the identical stage as we completed final season. We discovered a stable base and had been combating near the entrance in the direction of the top of the yr, so the aim is to finish a stable pre-season and be capable of begin the championship already near the quickest guys after which go from there to take the ultimate step.”

There are a couple of adjustments in your aspect of the storage, together with a brand new crew chief.

“Sure, my workforce seems to be a bit totally different this season and though we haven’t labored collectively for lengthy, my preliminary impressions are optimistic. My new crew chief has plenty of expertise, and I’ll attempt to be taught from him and benefit from that have. Hopefully it will see us make good progress.

Honda may be very dedicated to the mission, with extra collaboration between Japan and the European base. Does this enhance your motivation?

“For positive. In powerful occasions, to see that Honda is pushing and placing all the pieces it has on the desk to help us undoubtedly provides us confidence. All of us have the identical aim in any case, which is to win as quickly as potential. So everybody’s on the identical web page and we’re spurred on by this.”

2024 was a season of progress, with constant outcomes throughout the second half of the yr. What space of motorcycle growth shall be key for a powerful begin to 2025?

“Sure, the final a part of 2024 was optimistic. As for this yr, we’re transferring over to Öhlins suspension, so we have to familiarize yourself with that and discover a new base. After which we have to exploit our strengths, and deal with the areas of drive and acceleration, which we think about our weaker areas. If we will enhance there, we will higher exploit the engine’s potential, which we all know is excessive.”

You and Iker have fairly totally different using types. Can this be of profit?

“Positively. We’ve got totally different types, it’s true, however the base set-up of our bikes isn’t that dissimilar. It’s useful in that he’s higher in some areas and me in others. So, we will be taught from one another and in addition push one another.”

You’ve already had SBK podiums, however what would a race win imply for you?

“It might be a dream, significantly contemplating all our exhausting work over the past three seasons. I feel we’ve deserved way more than what we’ve had. So, a win would go a protracted method to repaying all our work and would give us additional motivation to proceed. We’re pushing so exhausting to get there.”

Iker Lecuona

Iker, the primary spherical in Australia is only a few weeks away. You’ve had some dangerous luck with accidents; do you suppose you’ll be bodily prepared?

“I had dangerous luck final yr with an damage at Jerez after which I sustained one other small damage at the beginning of this yr, so a protracted time frame with accidents. I feel I will be 100% prepared for Australia, or no less than 95% – I’ll be able to struggle, that’s for positive!”

Bodily health apart, what are your expectations for the primary spherical, contemplating that the Phillip Island monitor has quiet distinctive traits. How will you handle the primary races after the lengthy winter break?

“I realized final yr that maybe it’s not one of the best concept to start out with any explicit expectations. For now, the plan is to get on the bike, full the exams instantly previous to the Australian race weekend, after which take it session by session over the weekend itself. I really like the Phillip Island monitor however haven’t had plenty of luck there previously. The plan is to reach there with an excellent base and in fine condition, mentally and bodily, and to be prepared for something.”

You now have a yr of expertise working along with your crew chief, Tom Jojic. How essential is it to start out the season on the suitable foot?

“Mentally, it’s crucial for me to start out robust. Final yr I struggled mentally, and bodily too in fact, however for those who’re mentally powerful I feel you will be bodily robust even with damage. In case your psychological energy drops alternatively, then it’s powerful. So, it’s extraordinarily essential for me to start out out on the suitable foot this yr.”

One in all your qualities as a rider is your potential to succeed in the restrict quick. You’ve talked about engaged on your self to use this trait, each when it comes to using fashion and on a human stage…

“Folks inform me that I attain the restrict on monitor quick. I don’t must do 100 laps throughout a check, I can simply bounce on the bike and after 4 or 5 laps I can perceive good or dangerous issues concerning the bike, or a particular nook of the monitor… In order that’s only a high quality I’ve, however it will also be a foul factor as a result of as soon as I attain the restrict, it’s exhausting to enhance. And that may be difficult mentally as a result of possibly you solely enhance one tenth after half a day’s work, and that’s not all the time simple to simply accept. Final yr I realized loads about my fashion and efficiency, and I’m making an attempt to see it is a high quality that may assist me to enhance and develop the bike. I’ve realized to be calmer, mentally.”

In 2024, you achieved your second SBK podium and had been typically near the highest 5 within the second half of the season. What have you ever labored on along with your workforce to be persistently there from the very first rounds of 2025?

“The beginning of final yr was exhausting, I had a brand new bike, a brand new crew chief, I used to be additionally injured… Then from the summer time we tried to reset, placing the beginning of the season behind us and making use of the previous base to the brand new bike and issues began to work. My crew chief and I labored exhausting collectively, in order that that he may higher perceive my fashion and I may extra successfully talk my wants, and we improved loads in consequence. From summer time to the top of the yr we took essential steps, which helped us each mentally and bodily, in that I felt stronger on the bike and higher capable of push. The outcomes began to return, and the rostrum was wonderful! From P13 to P3 was loopy, an important consequence, so the goal is to proceed in the identical manner this yr.”

Lastly, on a private notice, you’ve not too long ago introduced your engagement to your girlfriend, Gema?

“Sure, I’d been serious about it for months. She is from Valencia like me, and that’s the place we met. Once we first acquired collectively, I quickly began to really feel one thing that I hadn’t skilled in earlier relationships. After a couple of years, I requested her to maneuver to Andorra with me, and we’ve now lived collectively for nearly two years. She provides me a lot help and tries to assist me each day. She loves Andorra, sport, animals, and me! I used to be very nervous to ask her – much more nervous than the primary time I rode a MotoGP bike – however I’m so very completely happy she stated sure!”

The Honda HRC workforce will take to the monitor on 17-18 February for a last pre-season check at Phillip Island, earlier than making ready for the primary spherical of the Superbike World Championship, scheduled to kick off on the identical Australian monitor on 21-23 February.

2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship Calendar