Struggles and Determination: Luca Marini Reflects on Challenging Start with Repsol Honda

Luca Marini focused on a single issue: “I understand the decision I took…”

Luca Marini reflects on his challenging beginning with Repsol Honda

At the ninth round of the MotoGP season, Luca Marini secured his first point after another competitor received a penalty for tyre pressure.

He remains in 23rd place on the leaderboard, the worst position among all full-time racers.

Dani Pedrosa, who only participated in the sprint race at Jerez, has a six-point lead over Marini.

His initial season with Repsol Honda didn't go as planned.

"It's difficult to see myself lower in the rankings compared to last year," he mentioned to Sky Italia.

“However, I understand the decision I made and the journey required to regain my position at the top. I cannot predict how much time it will take.”

"We are also making personnel changes, bringing in engineers from Italy and Europe, some of whom have backgrounds in Formula 1."

"I’m optimistic that by year’s end, we’ll be nearer to the frontrunners, achieve some Q2 finishes, and then assess our progress for the following year."

'This bike is a regression from Valencia'

Marini achieved his highest Sunday finish this year in the latest race in Germany, where he secured 15th place.

In the previous year, riding a one-year-old Ducati for the VR46 team, he secured two podium finishes on Sundays.

His debut year as a factory rider has come with a significant contract.

Marini expressed optimism, noting that although they haven't yet reached their goal, the engineers' efforts on the project have been impressive.

"At the start of the year, we believed our performance was superior. However, after testing this year's bike in Valencia, it became clear that it was a downgrade from the previous year's model."

“However, things are evolving; we are on the correct course, although it will require some time.”

"We aim to begin anew at Silverstone in strong form, especially since our last race was our best performance yet."

Honda and Yamaha have gained the most from the updated concession regulations this year.

However, these developmental advantages have not yet led to successful outcomes on the race track.

Marini is wary that the advantages may not materialize even in the coming year.

"It's premature for both Honda and Yamaha," he stated.

"Manufacturers make significant advancements each year, and the days when Honda and Yamaha dominated by sticking to their successful projects are over."

"Nowadays, each person introduces something novel annually, so we must surpass their efforts."

Marini can, at the very least, anticipate another home race.

The Emilia Romagna MotoGP, taking place at Misano, is now set to replace the previously scheduled Kazakhstan MotoGP.

This signifies that Misano will be the venue for back-to-back races and a test session in September.

He expressed his joy for the entire region of Emilia Romagna, noting that having two weekends at home is wonderful and will attract even more people.

However, Marini is no longer closely associated with Valentino Rossi, his brother and the head of VR46, in his professional journey.

"It's impossible to measure how much Valentino has assisted me," he remarked.

"In the early years, just like he did with everyone, he always knew the right thing to say and assisted me and others in understanding the intricacies of each track, as well as the crucial role of the tires."

"Currently, Vale holds his own championships and participates in numerous races, making it challenging for us to meet at home. We stay in touch through messages and try to support each other, but it's tough from afar."

Discover More

Breaking News

Breaking News

Site Map

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

It is prohibited to reproduce this text, its photographs, or illustrations, either in whole or in part, in any manner.