Rider market chaos: Luca Marini breaks the silence

The MotoGP World Championship stops in the Czech Republic, where the rider market will be unofficially wrapped up. Even though no official announcements have been made by the manufacturers yet, and despite almost all the new contracts being public knowledge, there’s still no press release. What’s certain is that some riders risk being left without a seat for 2027, and among them could be Luca Marini.

The summer break is around the corner and contracts for next season are being finalized. Amid all this frenzy of rumors and phone calls, Luca Marini wanted to have his say on the eve of the Brno GP and put an end to speculation about a possible goodbye to MotoGP. An option Valentino Rossi’s brother seems to categorically rule out, even though Honda has no intention of renewing his contract due to expire at the end of 2026.

The rider from Tavullia is going through a tough spell on the RC213V. This year he has collected 57 points, placing him 11th in the overall standings, establishing himself as the best rider of the Japanese manufacturer. Despite the higher ranking, HRC has decided to bet on a new line-up for next year, made up of Quartararo and Moreira.

Consequently, only one or two alternatives remain for Luca Marini. The first is a move to Trackhouse Aprilia, where he could team up with fellow Italian Enea Bastianini. The second is called WorldSBK, but Valentino’s brother categorically rules out this scenario. "At the moment it’s not in my plans. The goal is to have a clear situation before the summer break."

Even though he’s not part of Honda’s future plans, Luca Marini will take part in Monday’s MotoGP test. To put an end to the rumors, he clarified that his participation in the Pirelli test is neither a last-minute reward nor a desperate move by his team. It was scheduled since winter and is part of HRC’s technical strategy. "We had already decided at the start of the season. Everything had been planned for a long time and I think it’s a smart decision by Honda," concluded the Italian rider.

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