Leon Haslam is far from having his 2022 plans sorted yet but it was clear from the start at Magny-Cours that he was at least getting his WorldSBK Honda sorted and further up to the pointy end of things, even on Friday when he was inside the top-six.
“A little bit better,” admitted Haslam after the opening track action. “To say that we have no information at this circuit with the Honda. Last year was wet, so the first dry laps was the few that we did this morning (Friday). It wasn’t so bad as far as lap time.
“We still have all the areas that we need to improve and issues that we have, but for sure the thing that we’ve found in the test has definitely made a step here. It didn’t show in Navarra. It was probably one of the worst weekends for us, but at this circuit and I think for the upcoming circuits I feel that we’ve definitely made a step.”
“We’ve been looking at the corner entry, mainly, getting the bike stopped,” Haslam said as he began to list the areas of improvement he’s still looking for. “We’ve been really struggling in this area and front feeling as well.
“Donington Park, we managed to finish fourth, but I think we were P2 from the start and finish until the last two corners, so just the stop/start corners we lose a lot. Navarra was 90% start/stop corners, so for us it was the worse weekend. Here we have three corners we are struggling, but then the first sector, the fast-flowing sort of areas, the bike is very strong. So, understanding the problem is the first thing and then two is finding a solution for this.”
When asked if he had any special new parts, Haslam replied with a grin, “We have new parts every week. It’s a developing project. We are always pushing in every area of the bike.
“It’s difficult with the limited engines. It’s difficult with the limited testing. As I said, the last test was very positive. We have another test next week (at Jerez). So, in my opinion, I’m very, very excited. Here we are somewhere closer and I think for Barcelona onwards we can make another step, which is what we need to do. This is where we are.”
Of his own possibility of remaining with Honda in 2022, Haslam is still not sorted, it appears.
“From my side, nothing is clear. I want to stay. I believe in this project. I believe in HRC. It’s been a hard two years and we’ve put in a lot of work. For me, the reference of Alvaro who won fifteen races and the reason why Ducati got him back is because no one has achieved the results of him. For me, we finished on the same points last year.
“I’ve been faster than him in every single test, and I’ve had the best result for Honda this year. So, I feel quite confident with what I’m doing, my experience from the developing and my experience with Suzuka, and also the results that we’ve both managed to achieve this year. It’s not what we want, but it’s where we are. So, on my side, I’m very happy and very confident and we will see what happens.”
It was suggested that Honda’s test at Catalunya, and where Haslam was fast, was done with lots of 2022 parts, not yet allowed by regulations of some kind. But in any case, should 2022 be a better season than this one because of what is coming for 2022? Haslam believes it is more complicated than that.
“I think every test we go to and every race we go to we’re going to make a step,” he said. “This is the Honda way. We know the direction we want to do. We have many, many limitations. This Barcelona test was the first of the year because we are only allowed 10. We were reserving days for Suzuka, which has only just been canceled. We only have six engines which are completely sealed. So there are many, many areas of the bike that we cannot change just like this, because of the rules of the championship. So, this is something that Honda is having to manage. We have to not only prove that the parts are a step forward before we also race them.
“This situation is not a fast, overnight fix. So, in my opinion, I’m very happy what we tried. I think that over even the next races for this year we’re going to make a good step. I’m very optimistic on this, but until we prove it and the results show on the paper, then at the minute it’s just a theory.”
Lack of front-end feel is one area that rumours suggest is not getting any better, but ride-ability in general is where Haslam sees the potential for improvement. His team-mate Bautista shares many of his views.
“There’s areas that we’ve both had the same comment, we want to improve,” the 38-year-old said. “Making it easier, more rideable and having more feel, you always want this from every bike. Toprak is riding really strong and the feeling he has is unbelievable. His style on the Yamaha and the package, Johnny the same. You can see it in the style that he has. So, this is what we were always looking for, to maximise the bike, the tyres, and the situation.”
Is it necessary to bring in a new homologation model to sort out the problems from this year? Is that required?
“I don’t think so,” Haslam replied. “The FIreblade is a very, very competitive bike. People like Kawasaki and Ducati have been in the world championship for many years with Pirelli tyres. So understanding just this situation alone, with what the rules allow you to do is a key part to winning WorldSBK. This is the second year only for Honda, so to understand this situation, to maximise this situation with a new team, is not something as easy to do, especially in the COVID situation where you are limited.
“We were supposed to be in Japan several times - we’ve not been there once. There’s been many, many restrictions out of anybody’s control. Like I say, I have full faith in the project and I’m very happy with the direction that they are going that we will be soon where we should be.”
“Always, as any rider, it’s a typical thing. I want the bike to turn faster. I want more grip. I want more speed. It’s a natural comment from every rider. There are many things that you can do, looking from GP, that can give you these items, but the Superbike Championship is based on the road bike and the road bike is very, very competitive.
“Now we just need to figure out how to turn it into a competitive World Superbike. This is the process. In this process, we have many rules. You have six engines, 10 days of testing, only 45 minutes’ practice before each race. It’s not an easy situation.”
Having been around in WorldSBK in previous eras, Haslam confirmed it was easier in the old days.
“Yeah, it was easier in the old days! In the old days the bike you could make… BMW, the first year I was with them, I made 42 days of testing. 42 days in the first year with Troy Corser. And bearing in mind, this was the third year of the project!” he explained.
Bautista has cast doubts on whether the Honda as it stands, can win the World Championship, and he is off to Ducati next season in any case. Haslam disagrees.
“In the current rules and the time scaling that we have, we know the capabilities of the bike now, but that doesn’t mean that we need to change the homologation of the bike to win. We just need the time to put the areas of the bike together.”
If Haslam remains at Honda in 2022, he has no firm thoughts on whether he wants an older more experienced team-mate or a younger, less experienced gunfighter. He sees advantages in both.
“Honestly, I’m not sure,” he admitted. “The difference is if you have two riders with two different opinions it’s sometimes difficult when you’re in a developing project. If you have a young rider with no experience, it’s good for me because maybe he is fast and young and naïve, so maybe he can be good for the performance but we can be in the same direction for the developing. If we go with a rider with a different idea, sometimes it’s positive because his idea maybe is better, and sometimes it’s not because then it’s a fight. So honestly, it’s a difficult situation. I’m glad it’s not my decision. It’s somebody else’s!”
Haslam suggested that just transferring info from MotoGP to WorldSBK is a not straightforward, and he explained why. “I think Honda as a manufacturer has a lot of experience in all areas with all different configurations. So things like electronics and that work, the difficult thing from MotoGP to here is the tyre. It’s a completely different setting. It’s completely different rules. Just the electronic aides on a MotoGP bike, we cannot have this in WorldSBK. So, it’s a very different concept.
“But at the minute, Yamaha is winning every single championship in the world. So their philosophy is working very strong and every manufacturer is aiming for this. The last six have been aiming for the Kawasaki, and for sure the Ducati is pushing strong. So, everyone is trying their best and everyone has a different way to make this happen. This is the situation.”
