Luca Marini: "Honda trusted Marquez, but they lost their way

For Luca Marini, it will be his third season in MotoGP in Honda colors. When Marc Marquez left the RC213V, Valentino Rossi’s brother did not hesitate to inherit a very uncomfortable seat. After a truly complicated 2024, performances improved last year and he hopes to finish the last championship of the 1000cc era on a high note.

The feelings at the end of the Sepang test were good, but these are only tests. While awaiting further developments and confirmation in Thailand, the start of the World Championship will provide the first answers. The goal is to try to clinch at least one victory, aware that Ducati remains a step ahead. At least until 2027, when the MotoGP class will undergo a profound change involving engines, aerodynamics, tires, and more. "The step forward has been very big, but it’s still not enough," admitted Luca Marini to Motorsport.com. Now comes the hard part. "When you’re three tenths of a second off the pace of the best riders to win the race, that’s when it becomes more complicated to improve."

In recent years Honda’s philosophy seems to have changed, becoming more European and pragmatic. The analytical nature of the Tavullia rider has certainly made a valuable contribution, but in MotoGP only results count. "In the past, Honda had a lot of faith in Marc Marquez because with his talent he could provide what the bike was missing," Marini added. "But they got a bit lost with the development of the technical side."

While waiting to see how the market develops, Luca Marini is putting in every possible effort to stay with HRC—so much so that he’s even learning Japanese to communicate better with the engineers in Tokyo. "For them, speaking English is very difficult; it’s a completely different language from theirs. They are two very different worlds compared to Europe." In the first Grands Prix, he will be playing for a very important opportunity for his MotoGP future. "I would really like to stay at Honda," Valentino Rossi’s brother concluded. "I love the work, the team, everything. I would love to be here winning races."