During Marc Marquez's injury hiatus in 2020, Honda reportedly made no significant changes to its MotoGP bike.

LCR MotoGP team leader Lucio Cecchinnello has stated that Honda "failed to make any progress in development" during the 2020 season when Marc Marquez was sidelined due to injury.

Marquez, an eight-time world champion, along with Honda, ruled the racing scene for a significant part of the 2010s, clinching the championship in 2013-2014 and again from 2016 to 2019.

In 2019, Marquez showcased his dominance by securing victory in 12 races and finishing as runner-up in every other event except for one, ultimately clinching his sixth championship in the premier class with a remarkable 151-point lead over Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso.

However, by this stage, the RC213V was presenting challenges for the rest of Honda's lineup, with only Cal Crutchlow managing to secure a spot on the podium in 2019 alongside Marquez.

After Marquez severely fractured his right arm during the first race of the COVID-19-impacted 2020 season, Honda faced its first winless year in the top tier of motorcycle racing since rejoining the circuit full-time in 1982.

As Marquez continu