Aleix Espargaro: “Chapeau to Zarco” but “we need to find a solution”

Johann Zarco’s ability to ride around Honda’s chatter problem has been key to the manufacturer’s MotoGP resurgence in 2025.

The vibration issue remains the biggest hurdle for the significantly improved RC213V, which Zarco rode to a memorable wet victory at Le Mans, then to second place in the dry at Silverstone.

The Frenchman has achieved seven top-six finishes this season and currently holds fifth in the championship standings.

While factory Honda rider Joan Mir has also shown flashes of pace, Zarco remains the only rider consistently overcoming the chatter - particularly in crucial qualifying laps.

“He's able to ride with a big amount of chattering that the others, we are not able to,” explained HRC test and wild-card rider Aleix Espargaro.

“Especially when there is a new tyre, when you have to really go into the limit, he's able to ride with this vibration without let's say, feeling it.

“It's very difficult because when you feel this vibration, you want to pick the bike up, [so] the bike turns less. And he's not doing that. He's able to carry speed into the apex. 

“Chapeau to him!

“I’m very happy for him, for Honda and also for a small satellite team like Cecchinello…  It’s a really nice story, and the level Johann's riding at now I think is the highest of his career."

While Zarco (fifth) is the only Honda rider in the top twelve of the world championship standings, Espargaro added:

“I feel sorry for the factory riders [Joan Mir and Luca Marini] because they are also doing really well. 

"But in the key moments, we are missing some luck, with Joan on the qualifying, with the starts for Luca. 

"But then their pace is not super different from Johann's. So it means that overall the potential of the bike is high.”

“We need to find a solution”

While Zarco has found a way to deal with the chatter, Espargaro made clear the issue requires a technical solution.

“The engineers and myself, in the test team, need to find a solution to the chattering if [we] want to win races,” he said.

“We are trying our best. But until this day arrives, what we have to do, as the riders, is try to adapt and Johann proved once again [at Silverstone] that he's the best at adapting to this chattering.”

Asked what sort of things a rider could do to counter the chatter, Espargaro smiled: “If I knew, I’d do it!

“It looks like the more you ride without the front brake, the more speed you want to carry, the worse the vibration is.

“So it's more about going deep with the brakes and then pick up the bike and accelerate. No [neutral] phase without the brake or throttle on.

“This is what I see from the telemetry of Johann and Joan, but it's difficult really to do.”

Although it’s not a ‘cure’, Espargaro is optimistic that a new carbon fibre swingarm he used at Silverstone can help.

“I'm quite sure that the carbon swingarm works well. Honda did a good job, so I think it's ready for production for the factory riders,” he said.

However, Espargaro suspects the engine could be the underlying issue.

“We don’t understand really where this vibration can be coming from,” Espargaro said earlier in the British MotoGP weekend.

“This is why we accelerated the carbon swingarm test, because it’s something new that can help and this is why I'm racing with it here.

“But the biggest problem on the vibration is that we are not able to understand where it's coming from. And it's really a nightmare because we are trying many things.

“My thought is that it's coming from the engine, but this is very difficult really, if it's coming from the engine, to improve for this year. So we're trying everything.”

Fifth and last in the MotoGP constructors’ standings for the past three seasons, Honda heads into this weekend’s Aragon round holding second behind Ducati.