The start of official MotoGP testing at S𝔍epang on Tuesday saw a familiar figure in a new HRC uniform: Alex Baumgärtel, or ‘Alex fro🍨m Kalex’.

HRC told wuqian0821.com that Baumgärtel has been employed as a "Technical Advisor contracꦛted for a collaboration with 🌺HRC".

Baumgärtel founded Kalex with Klaus Hirsekorn (the 'K' in Kalex) in 2008. The Kalex chassis has gone on to dominate the Moto🃏2 class, winning the l♛ast eleven riders titles, and fills most of the grid.

HRC hired Kalex to build its MotoGP swingarms in 2022 and, from last season, a🙈 full RC213V chassis.

But while Kalex may have constructed the chassis, the actual🌜 design still looked to have been provided by HRC, appearing almost identical to the usual version. Honda’s riders failed to notice a significant difference.

Baum☂gärtel’s new role suggests HRC - which has won just one race in the last two seasons, finished last in the 2023 constructors’ standings and has lost star rider Marc Marquez to Gresini Ducati - is now prepared to trust Kalex with evolving its chassis design.

Repsol branding shrinks on 2024 Honda livery?

Meanwhile, in a further hint of a significant Repsol Honda livery change for 2024, the Sepang machines of Joan Mir and new signing Luca Marini feature a prominent ‘Honda’ sticker with a smaller ‘Repsol’ logo on the lower fairing⛎ (above).

In other words, the exact opposite of the sticker sizes used for previous Repsol Ho𒆙nda winter test liveries, see below from 2023:

Repsol began its title sponsorship of the factory Honda team in 1995. The 2024 team livery, ღrumoured to feature more of HRC's red, white and blue, will be unveiled during a launch in Spain on February 13.