With Honda displaying extremely strong results in 2012 we can only expect the same or better for 2013. Honda had a huge gap to fill with the loss of Casey Stoner but we think Marc Marquez is probably the best candidate to fill the big void. We expect big things from the rookie as well as some podium finishes.
Here is the official Repsol Honda Press Release:
Today in Repsol’s Headquarters in Madrid, Dani Pedrosa and Marc Márquez revealed the new look Honda RC213V for the 2013 season during a crowded Team Launch to the international media.
The exciting new graphic introduces a fresh style to the factory Honda Team who celebrate their 19th year in partnership with title sponsors, Spanish Oil and Gas giants, Repsol. Team riders for 2013, MotoGP runner-up Dani Pedrosa and Moto2 Champion Marc Márquez, dressed in the new team uniform provided by GAS, have enjoyed a long winter break, but both are eager to start the new season.
Shuhei Nakamoto, HRC Executive Vice-President was present in Madrid to introduce the riders and explain a new team structure for the coming season which will see Mr. Livio Suppo as Team Principal, Mr. Takeo Yokoyama as Team Technical Director and Mr. Hideki Iwano as Team Director. Former Technical Director, Mr. Shinichi Kokubu, will be the new HRC General Manager of the Technology Development Division.
Pedrosa and Márquez will have their first outing of 2013 when the team arrives in Malaysia for the first test, scheduled for the 5-7 February.
Dani Pedrosa – “I am very happy to have been here at Campus Repsol today, and to have been the one unveiling the bike and its new livery. We had run with the old design for a long time and I think that now is a good moment for a change. This year’s bike has a fresh touch to it, which can give us a boost at the races. I hope the fans like it too. I’m starting this preseason really keen, as at the Valencia test after the last race of 2012 we had so much rain that we couldn’t do much. I can’t wait to get to Malaysia and have a few days to put the bike through its paces, enjoy myself and see which parts we are going to use for the opening race”
Marc Marquez – I have really been looking forward to this moment. I am very happy to have presented the new colour scheme for my move up from Moto2 to MotoGP. Seeing the bike painted with the Repsol and HRC logos makes you feel very satisfied with this new step forward —it makes you realise what a dream-come-true it is. I’m like a kid with new shoes! I enjoyed the atmosphere of the presentation a lot, and I was able to see that the press attention for MotoGP is light years ahead of that for Moto2. We’ll adapt to this, little-by-little. In the end, the important thing is what happens on the track, so I can’t wait for the Malaysia tests to start. I think that it was a very positive initiative to broadcast the presentation online, because I’m sure lots of fans would have liked to have attended this event. I hope that they enjoyed it a lot”
