The Honda Racing – LCR Honda MotoGP satellite confirmed the signing of a 2-year contract with Team Suzuki Ecstar driver Alex Rins: this story has been discussed behind the scenes for a month in the paddock of Big Prizes, but only today has it becomes official.
HRC intends to employ both drivers of the Suzuki factory team, which will leave MotoGP at the end of the 2022 season. Rumors about Honda’s negotiations with Rins and Mir appeared back in June, and after the Dutch Grand Prix, they reached a new level: the drivers’ managers started talking about the deal with HRC as a fact, although no contract was officially confirmed at that time. Joan Mir is supposed to take the place of Paul Espargaro at Repsol Honda, and he also expects a 2-year contract. But HRC has not yet confirmed this deal and tried in every possible way to avoid direct answers to questions.
LCR Honda CASTROL Team will continue to perform under this brand and in these colors in 2023. This is an important nuance: Luccio Cecchinello’s garage is de facto divided into two different boxes, half is managed by LCR, half by Honda Racing. Under the contract with HRC, the Italian team fully manages its assets and makes decisions on the CASTROL Team pilots. The second team, Idemitsu Team, consists of half Japanese engineers and employees and is the third stage of the Honda Racing project for the growth and development of young Asian racers. The decision on pilots in the Idemitsu Team is made directly at the HRC office.
But the contract with the CASTROL Team pilot is also in a 3-way format, and Honda Racing pays the pilot a salary, not the team.
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LCR Honda CASTROL Team has confirmed that Alex Rins has signed a contract for 2023 and 2024 with Honda Racing Corporation.
“Changing the team and the bike is always a big challenge for a pilot, but I am ready to accept it 100%,” said Alex Rins. – I will use all my strength, knowledge, and experience, everything I have learned over the years in MotoGP to bring the maximum possible result. Lucio and Honda trust me, and for me, that was the main thing in making the decision. And I am grateful to them for that!”
Lucio Cecchinello revealed some details of the contract:
“I am glad that we can finally announce the entry of Alex Rins into the LCR Honda CASTROL from 2023. We have just completed the execution of all the details of the contract, which was concluded in a 3-party order. Alex Rins is a very experienced driver, very fast, and he is able to fight for the podium in every race. With the rich experience that Alex has accumulated, and, as I have heard, the most accurate technical analysis that he gives to engineers, we will be able to significantly improve our bike. The goal is a regular fight for the podium.”