Honda HRC Castrol ready to carry on work in France
Le MansFanatical fans and record-breaking crowds are on the horizon for Luca Marini and Joan Mir as the duo continue their 2025 campaign onto the French GP.
Aiming to build on a successful post-race test in Jerez, the Honda HRC Castrol team head for France and the legendary Le Mans circuit for round six of the rapidly progressing 2025 season. Known for its passionate fans, the French GP captures what makes MotoGP unique in the world of sport and is always a memorable weekend.
Fresh off his fourth-straight top ten finish, Luca Marini arrives at the 4.19 kilometre Le Mans Circuit with his incredible consistency continuing. Able to always make forward progress in the races, and especially on Sundays, the Italian is targeting further improvements in Qualifying. Besting last year’s French GP result shouldn’t be a problem for the #10.
After another weekend battling for the top six, Joan Mir once again proved he has the speed to be the fastest of the Honda riders last time out. Converting this potential into the points is the main objective of the French GP weekend for the #36. Able to consistently feature in Q2, Mir is looking to continue this trend as the Honda RC213V continues to improve and evolve.
Their efforts will be boosted by Takaaki Nakagami who joins the Honda HRC Test Team as a wildcard.
Location: Automobile Club de l’Ouest Le Mans
Built in 1965 around the existing 24-Hour track, the Le Mans Bugatti Grand Prix race circuit lies 5km south of the city of Le Mans and 200km south-west of Paris. The venue has hosted Grand Prix since the late sixties but a serious accident to Spanish rider Alberto Puig in 1995 saw it struck off the calendar until 2000 whilst stringent safety improvements were carried out. Le Mans is a tight track dominated by first gear corners that place the emphasis on late braking and hard acceleration, whilst rear end traction is also a key area. With the capacity to comfortably accommodate up to 100,000 spectators, the Bugatti circuit also plays host to the 24 hour truck race, the FIA GP2 Championship, French Touring Car and GT races.
Each weekend we have been able to build our pace and take steps throughout, we need to keep doing this. In Jerez we got to try some things for the future and now we need to keep working and trying to make progress. There is a lot of heavy braking in Le Mans which should suit us, I am looking forward to having another weekend of good battles on track like in Jerez. Let’s hit the ground running and focus on getting into Q2 to prime ourselves for the races.
Each weekend we have been able to build our pace and take steps throughout, we need to keep doing this. In Jerez we got to try some things for the future and now we need to keep working and trying to make progress. There is a lot of heavy braking in Le Mans which should suit us, I am looking forward to having another weekend of good battles on track like in Jerez. Let’s hit the ground running and focus on getting into Q2 to prime ourselves for the races.
Coming to Le Mans our objective is simple: get points on the board that reflect our efforts and our speed. The potential is there, we have good speed, we are able to fight regularly in Q2 and be in the second group in most races. I have no doubts that the team and I can do it, so our approach for France is the safe. We keep working, we keep pushing and we will succeed.
Coming to Le Mans our objective is simple: get points on the board that reflect our efforts and our speed. The potential is there, we have good speed, we are able to fight regularly in Q2 and be in the second group in most races. I have no doubts that the team and I can do it, so our approach for France is the safe. We keep working, we keep pushing and we will succeed.