A title-winning Aussie in Repsol colors, not an unfamiliar site in Grand Prix history. Casey Stoner looks to deliver HRC its first rider title since 2006.
The strongest manufacturer headed into 2011 is
Honda, at least if pre-season testing is to be trusted. The Repsol Honda trio of Casey Stoner,
Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso, along with Gresini Honda’s Marco Simoncelli, have dominated every pre-season test heading into the season opener at Qatar. This year the Honda machine is off to a blistering start, leaving its rivals baffled by the RC212V advances. Rumors credit electronic wizardry in the bike’s new transmission, though the official technical details have yet to surface.
Performance advances in the machine sure won’t hurt, but a key personnel change may net the ultimate reward for
Honda in 2011. While Valentino Rossi’s jump to Ducati was the headlining off-season roster move, Stoner’s return to Honda could prove more consequential – the Aussie’s rookie MotoGP stint with LCR Honda before moving to Ducati for his surprising 2007 dominance. The former champ snared three wins and another six podiums in 2010 aboard the Ducati, but the 25-year-old will seek to reclaim the title-winning form wearing factory Honda leathers. HRC is hungry for its first rider championship since Nicky Hayden’s 2006 campaign, with
Stoner a prime candidate. Combine testing prowess with Stoner’s three consecutive wins at the Losail circuit from 2007-2009 and the GP paddock has a presumptive favorite to challenge Lorenzo, at least for Round 1.
"I'm really excited and it's a great emotion to wear the Repsol Honda colors for the first time,” said Stoner during testing at Sepang. “When I was a child, I used to watch Mick Doohan [fellow Australian] winning Championships one after the other with these colors and for me it's an honor to be part of this team.”
Long the top-billed rider for the Repsol team, even during Hayden's tenure, Pedrosa will find himself scrapping with his old 250GP rival Casey Stoner - this time as a teammate.
Pedrosa returns once again to Honda’s factory lineup. Always a contender, never the favorite, the 25-year-old managed four separate victories and five more podiums in 2010. Pedrosa did suffer a broken collarbone near the end of last season, which resulted in surgery and poor performances. However, the Spaniard finished second overall in the championship and is expected to be in top form for Qatar’s opening night race.
“The best thing is that this year we have better foundations, contrary to what happened in the previous years, when we had to evolve and improve the bike during the Championship,” said Pedrosa. “This season we start with a very positive preparation that will allow us to face the first race of the Championship with a good level of performance.”
Dovizioso also returns to the Repsol squad after grabbing fifth in the 2010 series. Netting less glamorous results than his teammates throughout testing, the Italian remains dangerous while armed with the factory RC212V. Given his status as an awkward third-wheel during the roster maneuvering that snapped up Stoner, Dovizioso might have the biggest score to settle when it comes time to start counting points.
GRESINI HONDA
Marco Simoncelli will be another strong Honda entry in 2011, as the Italian looks to improve on his rookie campaign with the Gresini squad.
Gresini Honda enters the 2011 campaign with improved Honda racing support.
Simoncelli is being billed as a de facto fourth factory rider. And why not? HRC already has three official factory seats in play with the unique Repsol layout, it might as well go all in. Simoncelli was consistently fast in pre-season tests and looks primed for a breakout year in his sophomore campaign.
Hiroshi Aoyama, also entering his second year of MotoGP, figures to do well with the Gresini squad as well. HRC boss Shuhei Nakamoto confirmed Aoyoma has yet to benefit from the new transmission, making the Japanese rider’s solid testing results all the more impressive. The last-ever 250GP champ may be fifth-down on the HRC priority list, but that should still be good enough for consistent top-10 placings.
LCR HONDA
Toni Elias returns to MotoGP after claiming the inaugural Moto2 title. The Spaniard has been noticeably off the pace, at least the Honda pace, during testing as he reacquaints himself with the premier class. The unpredictable results from Elias always make him a volatile force, particularly when the GP runs on Iberian soil – with a memorable Grand Prix win at Estoril in 2006 the highlight of Elias’ MotoGP career thus far.
