What was se𝓡en as a make-or-break MotoGP campaign for Nakagami prior to the 2023 season getting underway, has continued in the same vein as 2022 which could leave the Japanese rider in trouble.

After Ai Ogura surprisingly turned down the chance to join LCR Honda after feeling as though he wasn’t ready for the step up, Nakagami was given a lifeline aꦏs Honda decided to stick with the now 31-year-old.  

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Honda, who have retained an interest in signing Ogura, have since seen the young Japanese rider struggle due to🌺 injuries that were picked up in pre-season. 

If Ogura can turn his season around and show the type of form that saw him finish second to Augusto Fernandez last season, then j𝕴oining Honda could still happen for 2024, however, it remains to be seen whether Honda will make a decision before t꧋hat happens.

While performances haven’t beꦬen great for Nakagami e💟ither, the former Moto2 rider has not given up hope of remaining with Honda and plans to discuss his future with Tetsuhiro Kuwata this weekend. 

Nakagami said: "I will sit with him at Sachsenring or Assen at the latest. After Assen comes the long summer break, I have to know in advan🔴ce which road to take. 

"I want to know what youꦅ think about my future. My priority is to stay in my current team in MotoGP. I don't hav💧e a plan B or C yet.”

"I should know somet꧅hing during the summer break."

Mugello turned out to be a disastrous weekend for Honda after Joan Mir was ruled out following aꦫ crash on Friday, while Alex Rins ꧑and Marc Marquez also suffered crashes.

For Nakagami, 𒆙struggles with acceleration and traction were the ma🌳in areas of concern during last Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix.

Nakagami said: "It was tough. A really diff😼icult race for us. I knew that the race distance [was going to be] really difficult for us to keep the pace and difficult to push like a qualifying lap. 

"But we need to push becaus𝄹e we lose in the acce🏅leration and traction area. 

"Unfortunately we couldn’t find the front-end fee🅺ling which is normally my strong point. but , somehow this weekend I was really struggling in that area. 

"The only good area was ♛braking. But the acceleration and tr🔥action area was - I was spinning so much and had no drive. It was difficult."