Honda is still trying to climb back up the ladder, and there's a long way to the top. However, they've been starting to see a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel during the winter tests.
Marini, Mir, and Zarco have made their way into the Top 10 and the RC213V is improving, although the competition is still far behind.
Team Manager Alberto Puig took stock before the start of the season.
"You have to look at the two tests, globally. The one in Malaysia and the one in Thailand. We knew where we were starting from, and it's clear that we understood what we're missing," he explained to MotoGP.com.
"All the riders are trying very hard, they're motivated, but races don't last one or two laps. You have to look at the pace. So, many things can happen in a race weekend.
You have to be aware of that. We can be a bit more optimistic, but Sunday is when you see everything."
Caution is a must when coming from such a difficult period, but the riders certified the good work done in Japan. Starting with Mir.
"Joan has struggled a bit in the last two years with the connection between the gas and the engine. We've been working on it," Puig commented.
"Some riders didn't feel this problem so much but, in Joan's case, it had a big effect on his riding. Now he can better understand how to accelerate."
Speaking of shortcomings, all the riders have asked for engine upgrades. When will they arrive?
"We don't know but, like I said, we've identified our weaknesses. We need to improve the engine, and they're working on it in Japan," Alberto said assuringly.
There's work to be done for Romano Albesiano, HRC's new technical director. For the Italian engineer, the tests were important to closely follow the work and prepare the next steps.
"He just arrived. You can't expect great things in such a short time. He's taking care of everything. We hope and expect that he'll help us by bringing new technologies and knowledge from Europe," the Spanish manager concluded.
