Honda showcases 2022 World Superbike challenger

The Japanese manufacturer heads into the new season, its third under the full control of HRC, with an all-rookie line-up comprising MotoGP refugee Iker Lecuona and Moto2 graduate Xavi Vierge.

The two Spanish riders first tested Honda’s WSBK challenger at Jerez last year before completing further running at the same track in January. Further testing is scheduled in the coming months before the new season kicks off at Aragon on April 9-10.

Honda will be hoping that signing two new riders will improve its fortunes in WSBK after it ended the 2021 season a distant last in the manufacturers’ standing despite the experience of both Alvaro Bautista and Leon Haslam. 

The factory Honda team scored just two podiums all year, at Barcelona and Jerez, both coming courtesy of Bautista, while Haslam managed a best finish of fourth at Donington Park.

Bautista has left Honda after two seasons to reunite with Ducati, where he will be joined by Michael Ruben Rinaldi, while Haslam faces an uncertain future, having been linked to a possible British Superbike return.

On the management side, Leon Camier will lead the team for a second season after retiring from professional racing at the end of 2020.

Camier was impressed with how both Leucona and Vierge acquainted themselves with the production-based Honda Fireblade after years of riding prototype machinery in either MotoGP or its feeder series, saying they were “super fast straight away.”

Honda is the first factory team to unveil its 2022 bike, with Kawasaki due to take the covers off its upgraded ZX-10RR on March 23 and reigning champion Yamaha launching the revised R1 two days later on March 25.

BMW and Ducati have both yet to formally announce its launch plans ahead of the new season.