The Honda HRC team launches its 2025 World Superbike season
Just a few days prior to the start of the 2025 Superbike World Championship, the Honda HRC team officially launches its 2025 campaign and speaks with riders Vierge and Lecuona as well as team manager Escámez as to the aims and objectives for the upcoming season.
On 10 February, the Honda HRC team digitally presented its 2025 project and the CBR1000RR-R with which it will contest the 2025 Superbike World Championship.
Appearing on the striking livery of the Honda HRC team’s 2025 CBR1000RR-R is new sponsor Ixon which, together with new technical partner Öhlins, is set to support the team throughout the season. These, in addition to invaluable and long-standing collaborations with Motul, Akrapovič, Nissin, One Heart – Satu Hati, ASICS, Bonamici Racing, NGK, RK, Shindengen, STM and Pirelli.
The digital launch, available for viewing on the official HRC Facebook and YouTube pages, saw factory riders Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona outline their respective objectives as they head into a fourth consecutive season with the squad. Honda HRC team manager José Escámez meanwhile touched on the challenges, expectations and strategy involved in competing in the production-derived series.
Over the winter period, the Japanese engineers have worked to deliver a series of updates to the CBR1000RR-R relating to all areas of setup, electronics and suspension which the factory team already had a chance to test during productive sessions at both the Jerez Circuit in Spain and the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal. The overarching aim, as ever, is to build on the progress made during the 2024 season and continue to pursue the best possible results on track.
The Honda HRC team will take to the track on 17-18 February for a final pre-season test at the Phillip Island circuit in Australia, before preparing for the first round of the Superbike World Championship, scheduled to kick off at the same Australian track on 21-23 February.
Questions & Answers
XAVI VIERGE – Rider #97
- This will be your fourth season with the Honda HRC team. What have you learned over the last three years, and what’s your target for 2025?
We’ve learned a great deal, but I think the most important thing has been understanding that it’s better to work methodically and take solid steps, rather than wanting to go too fast and lose the way. The first target is to start the 2025 season at least at the same level as we finished last season. We found a solid base and were fighting close to the front towards the end of the year, so the goal is to complete a solid pre-season and be able to start the championship already close to the fastest guys and then go from there to take the final step.
- There are a few changes on your side of the garage, including a new crew chief.
Yes, my team looks a little different this season and although we haven’t worked together for long, my initial impressions are positive. My new crew chief has a lot of experience, and I will try to learn from him and make the most of that experience. Hopefully this will see us make good progress.
- Honda is very committed to the project, with more collaboration between Japan and the European base. Does this increase your motivation?
For sure. In tough times, to see that Honda is pushing and putting everything it has on the table to support us definitely gives us confidence. We all have the same goal after all, which is to win as soon as possible. So everyone’s on the same page and we are spurred on by this.
- 2024 was a season of progress, with consistent results during the second half of the year. What area of bike development will be key for a strong start to 2025?
Yes, the last part of 2024 was positive. As for this year, we’re moving over to Öhlins suspension, so we need to get to grips with that and find a new base. And then we need to exploit our strengths, and focus on the areas of drive and acceleration, which we consider our weaker areas. If we can improve there, we will be able to better exploit the engine’s potential, which we know is high.
- You and Iker have quite different riding styles. Can this be of benefit?
Definitely. We have different styles, it’s true, but the base set-up of our bikes isn’t that dissimilar. It’s helpful in that he is better in some areas and me in others. So, we can learn from each other and also push each other.
- You’ve already had SBK podiums, but what would a race win mean for you?
It would be a dream, particularly considering all our hard work over the last three seasons. I think we’ve deserved much more than what we’ve had. So, a win would go a long way to repaying all our work and would give us extra motivation to continue. We are pushing so hard to get there.
IKER LECUONA – Rider #7
- Iker, the first round in Australia is just a few weeks away. You’ve had some bad luck with injuries; do you think you’ll be physically ready?
I had bad luck last year with an injury at Jerez and then I sustained another small injury at the start of this year, so a long period of time with injuries. I think I can be 100% ready for Australia, or at least 95% – I’ll be ready to fight, that’s for sure!
- Physical fitness aside, what are your expectations for the first round, considering that the Phillip Island track has quiet unique characteristics. How will you manage the first races after the long winter break?
I learned last year that perhaps it’s not the best idea to start with any particular expectations. For now, the plan is to get on the bike, complete the tests immediately prior to the Australian race weekend, and then take it session by session over the weekend itself. I love the Phillip Island track but haven’t had a lot of luck there in the past. The plan is to arrive there with a good base and in good shape, mentally and physically, and to be ready for anything.
- You now have a year of experience working with your crew chief, Tom Jojic. How important is it to start the season on the right foot?
Mentally, it’s very important for me to start strong. Last year I struggled mentally, and physically too of course, but if you’re mentally tough I think you can be physically strong even with injury. If your mental strength drops on the other hand, then it’s tough. So, it’s extremely important for me to start out on the right foot this year.
- One of your qualities as a rider is your ability to reach the limit fast. You’ve mentioned working on yourself to exploit this trait, both in terms of riding style and on a human level…
People tell me that I reach the limit on track fast. I don’t need to do 100 laps during a test, I can just jump on the bike and after four or five laps I can understand good or bad things about the bike, or a specific corner of the track… So that’s just a quality I have, but it can also be a bad thing because once I reach the limit, it’s hard to improve. And that can be challenging mentally because maybe you only improve one tenth after half a day’s work, and that’s not always easy to accept. Last year I learned a lot about my style and performance, and I am trying to see this is a quality that can help me to improve and develop the bike. I’ve learned to be calmer, mentally.
- In 2024, you achieved your second SBK podium and were often close to the top five in the second half of the season. What have you worked on with your team to be consistently there from the very first rounds of 2025?
The start of last year was hard, I had a new bike, a new crew chief, I was also injured… Then from the summer we tried to reset, putting the start of the season behind us and applying the old base to the new bike and things started to work. My crew chief and I worked hard together, so that that he could better understand my style and I could more effectively communicate my needs, and we improved a lot as a result. From summer to the end of the year we took important steps, which helped us both mentally and physically, in that I felt stronger on the bike and better able to push. The results started to come, and the podium was amazing! From P13 to P3 was crazy, a great result, so the target is to continue in the same way this year.
- Lastly, on a personal note, you’ve recently announced your engagement to your girlfriend, Gema?
Yes, I’d been thinking about it for months. She is from Valencia like me, and that’s where we met. When we first got together, I soon started to feel something that I hadn’t experienced in previous relationships. After a few years, I asked her to move to Andorra with me, and we’ve now lived together for almost two years. She gives me so much support and tries to help me every day. She loves Andorra, sport, animals, and me! I was very nervous to ask her – even more nervous than the first time I rode a MotoGP bike – but I’m so very happy she said yes!
JOSÉ ESCÁMEZ – Honda HRC Team Manager
- José, after a year as team manager of the Honda HRC Superbike team, how would you assess this experience, both professionally and personally?
Professionally, it’s always enriching to take on a new challenge like this project. I really appreciate and relish the opportunity to grow. Personally speaking, it’s been very demanding of course. Whenever you embark on something for the first time, you have to pay extra attention and put in extra effort to ensure everything is in place.
- Is the Superbike World Championship as you expected, or more demanding? What are the biggest challenges?
It’s more demanding than I expected, to be honest. It’s not easy to adapt everything in a championship where you have strict rules, so you have to be very attentive as to what kind of things you can and can’t do. And the biggest challenge, not just for me but for all the teams, is to win! As always, we have high expectations, and it is much harder than I personally thought it would be. The challenge is to get back on the podium and win.
- Other Japanese manufacturers in WorldSBK use facilities in Europe to manage their teams’ operations. Does Honda have similar plans?
Actually, we’ve had a logistical base in Europe since the very beginning of this project. It’s true that this year we are going to increase this collaboration with Honda Europe, which will be more involved with our test team and the development of the bike. We are putting in extra effort with the aim of speeding up our work and the way we reach our goals.
- Vierge and Lecuona were much more consistent during the second half of the 2024 season, with several top five finishes and a podium for Iker. This shows growth, in terms of teamwork and bike development. How did you achieve this, and how do you plan to continue this trend in 2025?
We did it by working hard! It’s the only way. It’s true that we started 2024 with a different bike and it took us longer than expected to get to where we wanted to be. We doubled down, found the right direction and finally the results came from mid-season on. Later than we wanted but the important thing is that we found the right way and now know the path to take. So, we will continue in the same way in 2025. It’s just a matter of working hard. We have the knowledge gained last season and the confidence that we can be faster than before.
- In 2024, HRC homologated a new bike. What new developments can we expect for 2025?
It’s too early to talk about that right now. First, we need to test things to better understand what works and what works less well and that takes time. We have several ideas as to things that might benefit the bike, but for now we will keep working and prioritise improving our weak areas.
