Honda and Yamaha seek gains at a private test at Mugello

Honda and Yamaha are partaking in a private test at Mugello on Wednesday, the next small step in their recovery.

The Japanese manufacturers are permitted additional test days as part of the 2024 MotoGP concessions rules.

After the French MotoGP, they have headed to the Italian circuit which will host a round of the MotoGP championship later this month for a day of development.

Riders taking part are Repsol Honda’s Luca Marini and Joan Mir and LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco and Takaaki Nakagami.

Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins are also on track.

Honda’s test rider Stefan Bradl and Yamaha’s test rider Cal Crutchlow will join them at Mugello.

Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori will also be on track.

It is another crucial day for the Japanese manufacturers to work on their misfiring machines before back-to-back race weekends at Barcelona (May 24-26) and Mugello (May 31-June 2).

Rins said about his ongoing problems in Le Mans: “When I was riding alone, it was with the problems that we had all weekend; problems to stop the bike on brakes and a lot of slide going into the corners.”

Nakagami tried a modified swingarm in Le Mans at the weekend. Zarco insists that rear grip is their problem.

Zarco warned: “But there is a bigger problem, like from the base of the bike, from the heart of the bike. Okay, the heart is the engine and I don't mean it's the engine, but I mean the DNA of the bike must change to give us a second breath.”

Honda’s Mir made progress with his race pace in Le Mans.

“It was great to be able to make another step with the setting and have a good pace in the race,” he said.

Marini cited a lack of turning and acceleration with his RC213V.