Honda aims for MotoGP Argentina resurgence with Mir and Marini

Joan Mir and Luca Marini look to bring Honda back to the front at Termas de Río Hondo, a track where the brand once dominated.

Joan Mir of Spain rides for Honda HRC Castrol during practice for the MotoGP 2025 PT Grand Prix of Thailand at Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand, on February 28, 2025. Photo by Kaikungwon Duanjumroon/Nur

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

The second round of the 2025 MotoGP season brings the championship to Argentina, a venue where Honda once dominated with Marc Márquez. However, the team has not secured a podium at Termas de Río Hondo from a rider other than Márquez since Cal Crutchlow’s victory in 2018.

Now, seven years later, Honda finds itself in a new era, with Joan Mir and Luca Marini leading the charge for the Honda HRC Castrol team. As they prepare for the Argentinian Grand Prix, both riders are determined to restore the brand’s competitiveness and fight for a return to the podium.

For Mir, Argentina presents an opportunity to translate his strong pace in Thailand into a tangible result. The 2020 MotoGP champion showed promising speed in the season opener at Buriram but crashed out, marking only the second time in his premier-class career that he failed to finish the first race of the season.

Despite the disappointment, Mir remains optimistic about his potential in Argentina.

“I am looking forward to this race after what we showed last time out in Thailand,” Mir said ahead of the weekend.

“We are capable of a lot, and it’s important to get some points on the board and deliver.

“Argentina will be a different weekend from Thailand because we arrive without testing there, but we normally have a very strong base. I think that we can be competitive from the start.

“In the past, I have had some good results in Argentina, so I think the pieces are there to have a solid weekend and keep our season progressing.”

Marini faces his first Honda challenge at Termas

The 2025 Argentinian Grand Prix marks a new chapter for Luca Marini, as it will be his first race at Termas de Río Hondo aboard the Honda RC213V. With the race absent from the calendar in 2024, this will also be his first visit to the venue since his time with Ducati.

However, Marini does not see his lack of prior Honda experience at the track as a concern. After a solid showing in Thailand, he believes the team’s preseason efforts have put them in a strong position to adapt quickly.

“In Thailand, we were able to accomplish a very good weekend overall, so now flying to Argentina, I am optimistic we can continue in this way,” Marini said.

“I don’t think arriving there ‘for the first time’ on the Honda will be a problem—the team and I did a lot of work over the off-season to get the base of the bike into a good position, so I know that we can start correctly.”

Luca Marini of Italy rides for Honda HRC Castrol during practice for the MotoGP 2025 PT Grand Prix of Thailand at Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand, on February 28, 2025. Photo by Kaikungwon Duanjumroon/Nur

Termas de Río Hondo also holds positive memories for Marini. In 2023, he claimed his first MotoGP Sprint podium at the circuit, an achievement he hopes to build on this weekend.

“In 2023, I achieved my first Sprint podium in Argentina, and I hope that we can have a positive weekend with the Honda HRC Castrol team,” he said.

Marini set for Brazilian GP launch event

After the Argentinian Grand Prix, Marini will stay in South America to participate in the official launch event for the Brazilian Grand Prix in Goiânia. The new circuit is set to debut on the MotoGP calendar in 2026, and Marini is eager to get an early look at the venue.

“After Argentina, I will go to Brazil for the first time to try the new track we will race at next year—an exciting trip!” he added.

As Honda heads into Argentina, Mir and Marini are focused on continuing the brand’s upward trajectory. While the team still has work to do to reclaim its former dominance, a strong showing at Termas de Río Hondo could be a crucial step toward re-establishing Honda as a MotoGP frontrunner.