Neil Hodgson thinks one rider’s bike was ‘nothing like’ any other Honda in the Thai Grand Prix

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Honda had two riders score points in the 2025 MotoGP season-opening Thai Grand Prix, but Neil Hodgson feels one of their bikes was ‘nothing like’ any other RC213V.

The Japanese giants have four bikes on the grid this season over the works Honda team and satellite outfit LCR. All four bikes are also meant to be factory-spec machines with LCR pilots Somkiat Chantra and Johann Zarco supposed to have the same as Joan Mir and Luca Marini.

Zarco was able to come home as the highest-placed Honda rider in the Thai Grand Prix, with the LCR pilot scoring nine points in P7. Marini also bagged points in the season-opener after crossing the finish line in P12 for four points, matching his best finish from the 2024 season.

Neil Hodgson thinks Somkiat Chantra’s LCR bike was ‘nothing like’ any other Honda in the Thai Grand Prix

Marini has now come home in P12 in back-to-back editions of the Thai GP since the 27-year-old joined Honda ahead of the 2024 term. His teammate, Mir, failed to finish the 2025 meet after crashing on Lap 14 of 26. Chantra also failed to score points for LCR after finishing P18.

But while Chantra took the chequered flag 31.480 seconds behind Marc Marquez as he won on debut for Ducati, Hodgson feels Honda hindered MotoGP’s first Thai rider as his bike was unlike any other RC213V as the LCR rider’s machine had parts that were ‘not quite the best’.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Somkiat Chantra from career to height

Chantra finished his MotoGP debut 16.255 seconds from LCR teammate Zarco plus 7.540s to factory Honda pilot Marini. Only Pedro Acosta after the KTM Factory Racing rider crashed plus Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori ended the 2025 Thai Grand Prix behind Chantra, too.

Hodgson told TNT Sports 2 (02/03, 08:48): “[Ahead of Acosta] and in a battle with Alex Rins. And if you look at his bike, it’s nothing like any of the other Hondas. I think, at the moment, they have given him some of the bits that are, let’s say, maybe not quite the best.”

Honda’s bike will become a bigger point of focus if Somkiat Chantra keeps struggling

Chantra still had a beaming smile on his face in the LCR garage despite finishing his MotoGP debut on home soil at the Thai Grand Prix in P18, only 0.385 seconds behind works Yamaha rider Rins. But it remains to be seen how long that smile lasts if his bike is not up to scratch.

The bike that Honda supply the 26-year-old with will also become a particular point of focus if he continues to struggle in comparison to the other riders with the RC213V. Chantra’ pace at the Sepang Test surprised LCR but he was in a different, lower league to Zarco at Buriram.