Luca Marini Shows Promise at Mugello: Closing in on Top Ten with Strong Finish and Optimistic Outlook for Honda’s Future

Luca Marini expresses satisfaction, pace nearly matches top ten performers

Luca Marini stated, "During the final seven laps, I was in a good state, and my speed was nearly on par with those in the top ten."

Luca Marini is yet to score his initial points with Repsol Honda, however, the Italian rider is optimistic about their progress, believing they are on the right path following a promising finish at his local Mugello MotoGP event.

Remarkably, Marini recorded his fastest lap during the race on the last lap, lap 23, a time when every other racer had hit their peak performance by lap 12 at the latest. He believed his pace towards the end of the race was nearly on par with those in the top ten, marking his best performance on the RCV to date.

Just like his teammate Joan Mir, Marini took to the Italian track equipped with Honda's newest aerodynamic kit for the very first time.

The MotoGP engine roster revealed that Marini continued to use the 'new configuration' engines, which are believed to have reduced inertia to assist in improving handling, that were first introduced in Barcelona a week prior.

"Marini expressed that this race surpassed the one in Barcelona, mentioning that during the final seven laps, he felt strong, and his speed was comparable to those in the top ten. He crossed the finish line just under a second behind the only other Honda that made it to the end, LCR’s Johann Zarco, who placed 19th."

"Undoubtedly, there remains additional effort required since the gap to the lead is significant, yet our efforts are now aligned in the right path."

"I regret not being able to put on a stronger show for our supporters, but I promise improvements ahead. We have a solid foundation to build on; it's just a matter of refining the finer points now."

"The upcoming exam tomorrow presents an excellent opportunity for us to try out new things."

Mir observed that the updated engine specification, despite improving handling in Barcelona, did not compensate for the reduced grip. As a result, he reverted to the 'standard' engines for the Mugello race.

The Spanish racer exited the race from 19th position during the 7th lap.

"Truthfully, at the beginning of the race, the bike was performing well, and I felt like all the elements were in place for us to advance. Therefore, it's really unfortunate that I ended up crashing on the seventh lap," he stated.

"I managed to make progress at the forefront, engaging in a duel with Pol Espargaro. As the leading pack began to pull ahead, he and I found ourselves in a bit of a skirmish."

"Approaching the first corner, I braked too late behind him, causing the front to give way and I went down. It's definitely disappointing, but we'll dust ourselves off and prepare for tomorrow's trial where we plan to experiment with some new strategies."

An additional development of the engine is believed to be scheduled for the Repsol riders during Monday's official trial.

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