In the 2026 MotoGP season, Honda’s RC213V has consistently fallen short in Q2, exposing a gap between Friday practice and Saturday qualifying that rivals appear to exploit.
Friday Pace vs Saturday Gains
Team principal Luca Marini notes that the Honda HRC push “at 100 % from FP1,” yet he struggles to translate that into Q2, reaching the second session only twice in the first eleven rounds. “On my side I always improve from practice to Q1, but someone else improves even more,” he said. Marini suspects that some manufacturers reserve engine and power for Saturday to save energy for Sunday, a strategy that Honda may have phased out earlier in the year.
Marini’s Comparative Advantage
While the Italian consistently tops Honda’s points tally, he maintains that his practice laps are “very close” to the fastest times, but obstacles arise from “strong riders and strong manufacturers” in Q1 that force him into difficult corners. The result is a missed opportunity to carry that pace forward into Q2.
Mir’s Qualifying Hurdle
Joan Mir, another Honda rider, has managed to reach Q2 more regularly but has not always capitalised on those starting positions. He cited dirty air from the lap behind as a limiter at Brno, where his bike’s suspension struggled on exits and braking zones. “We don’t yet have the package to fight for pole position,” Mir observed. “I expected more from qualifying, especially after higher Friday performance. The slipstream problems turned that expectation into a setback.”
Both riders acknowledge that Honda is searching for a solution to tighten the performance gap between practice and qualifying, a challenge that will dictate the team’s fortunes until the season’s end.
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