MotoGP: Exclusive interview with Livio Suppo, Honda Team Principal

We interviewed Livio Suppo, Honda MotoGP Team Principal, exclusively in Jerez de la Frontera. We asked him about Marc Marquez's incredible start to the season (who after 4 races has full points), what they will feel in today's tests, about Bridgestone leaving at the end of 2015 and we covered other topics, including Moto3.

Livio, a more than perfect, almost incredible start to the season.

“Marc has scored four poles and four victories in four races! Pedrosa also comes from four podiums and yesterday he arrived behind a Valentino Rossi in great form, so I would say yes."

There are tests today, do you have anything new to try or will you work on fine-tuning?

“We don't have any big news, but it will be an important test for both Marc and Dani. The former has tested very little this winter and the latter will try to get himself right to improve the first part of the race, where he struggled this year.”

Livio, Bridgestone is leaving at the end of 2015, what are your thoughts on this matter.

“It certainly won't be easy to replace them, the level reached by their tires is very high, they have excellent construction quality. They manage to make truly identical tires, which is very difficult. For example, yesterday Marc's brother (Alex, who races in Moto3 with Honda) had a defective tire that caused him chattering, something that had never happened with the same type of tire during the weekend. When Bridgestone was competing with Michelin the Japanese front was a great advantage, which the riders have now become accustomed to.”

Let's go back to Marquez, fans and even professionals are wondering... can he win them all?

“Partly for good luck, partly for statistics, it is really difficult to achieve this. In this sport there are many variables, a wet race, a race in which at the first corner you are involved in a problem without being at fault, so it is very difficult. What I can say is that Marc in MotoGP has a start/win percentage of more than 50%, and this year 100%, I'm Super Champion numbers. "

Let's try to divide the credit for these victories between the bike and the rider.

“As I just told you Marc is a Super Champion, when one is so strong it is obvious that the greatest merits go to the rider. I must say though that he is not the only one who rides a Honda, so let's also give credit to the Engineers, but the rider drives in a masterly manner."

Is its renewal therefore a given?

“When you are lucky enough to have such a strong champion it would be absurd not to renew.”

Let's talk about regulations, from 2016 there will be a single control unit, until recently Honda was not in favor, then what has changed?

“It's true that both the hardware and the software will be from Dorna, but the manufacturers will be able to make their contribution in both the construction and development processes and this is a determining factor for us. Even if these contributions will then have to be distributed by them."

We are talking about Moto3, a category in which Honda is present in an official form this year.

“Our bike has improved a lot. I'm sure that today if we asked the average rider in the category whether they preferred a KTM or a Honda, they would choose us. Alex Marquez, Alex Rins are very strong as is Vazquez. McPhee and Masbou also showed their worth at times. It's true that this year we haven't won yet, but jokingly I always tell my engineers that it's "revenge" of Miller e fenati, who raced a Honda when it wasn't competitive. However, the bike has ample room for development, despite the engines being "frozen". However, it is possible to work on other details besides the frame. I expect our drivers to be able to fight for the championship until the end.”

Thank you for the interview Livio and good luck.

“Thanks to you and perish the wolf!”