Honda: We were ready for the season, Ducati wasn't
Honda MotoGP team manager Alberto Puig has hit back at claims made by Ducati boss Gigi Dall'Igna that the delayed start to the season will benefit HRC and Marc Marquez.
In a recent interview with Sky Italia, Dall'Igna addressed the potential sporting implications of the coronavirus-induced break, once the new season eventually gets underway.
He was quick to suggest that the main beneficiaries of the months-long delay would be Honda and world champion Marquez, after the Spaniard admitted that a shoulder injury was still causing issues during the pre-season test in Qatar.
Puig, however, has rubbished that suggestion, pointing to the fact that Honda was the only team to provide its engine homologation paperwork to officials during that final test.
"What Ducati should have done was prepare for the challenge they were going to face in Qatar," Puig told Motorsport.com.
"We were the only ones that delivered the drawings, on time, when requested. From then on, if there's any suspicion a manufacturer has done something strange with its engine, it's clear that it won't be Honda."
Honda was the only team to leave staff in Qatar following the test, while the majority of the Ducati team returned to Italy.
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