HRC is enthusiastic about its new pneumatic valves motor and in order to have it tuned up and ready to go, several tests will be underway.

Team racers Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa will at last get a proper feel of the long awaited motor as part of a now tradition in the European Grand Prix. After the Le Mans MotoGP race, all teams will stop on Monday for a day of testing new solutions and technologies. And it seems that Honda has big plans for testing the new engine with this occasion.

The day is even more important as the newly back in action V4 motor, now fitted with the new valve opening system, has a debut already planned up for Mugello, Italy if everything works out smoothly. So let’s just hope that at the future Grand Prix race after Le Mans we will be witnessing a Honda premiere.

Previously, there had been plans to do the tests after the GP of Portugal, at Estroil and have a debut at Shanghai, but Le Mans seemed a better opportunity and to be frank the engine wasn’t quite ready at the time.

Even so, work doesn’t stop there as Michelin has already programmed its testing session for the 19th of May, the day after the Grand Prix so Honda is in for a tight schedule.

Head of Michelin, Jean-Philippe Weber:

“We have plans to try the new front tyres which are designed to improve grip. Also, new constructions and new compounds will be tested at the rear. After Le Mans there will be six races in the space of six weeks, so it will be important to make progress during these tests.”