Struggling to Find His Stride: Luca Marini Reflects on Challenging Repsol Honda Debut and Optimistic Future

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

Luca Marini sheds light on the challenges he's faced at the beginning of his tenure with Repsol Honda

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

He remains in 23rd place in the rankings, the lowest position held by any rider competing full-time.

Dani Pedrosa, who participated in a single race at Jerez and only finished the sprint portion, holds a six-point lead over Marini.

His initial year with Repsol Honda hasn't gone as he had anticipated.

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

"However, I recognize the decision I made and understand the effort required to return to the top. I cannot predict how long it will take."

"We're making some personnel changes as well, bringing in engineers from Italy and Europe, many of whom have experience in Formula 1."

"I am optimistic that by year-end, we will have closed the gap with the frontrunners, achieved some Q2 finishes, and then we can evaluate our progress next year."

'This bike is a regression from Valencia'

Marini achieved his highest Sunday finish of the year in the latest round held in Germany, where he secured 15th place.

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

His debut year as a factory rider has been marked by a significant contract.

Marini expressed optimism, noting that although they haven't yet reached their desired goal, the engineers working on the project have made significant efforts.

At the start of the year, we believed our performance was superior. However, it turned out that this year's motorcycle was actually a downgrade from the one I tried out in the initial test in Valencia last year.

"However, progress is being made, and although it will take a while, we are headed in the right direction."

“We aim to start fresh at Silverstone with a strong performance, especially since our last race was our best yet."

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

However, these advancements in development have not yet produced successful outcomes in actual racing.

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

"Honda and Yamaha still need more time," he remarked.

Manufacturers have made significant advancements from year to year, and we are no longer in a time when Honda and Yamaha were the dominant forces, sticking to their winning formulas.

"Nowadays, each participant introduces something novel annually, and we must surpass their efforts."

Marini can at least anticipate another race in his home country.

The Emilia Romagna MotoGP at Misano will now take the place of the previously scheduled Kazakhstan MotoGP.

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

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

However, Marini is now advancing in his career without the close involvement of his brother Valentino Rossi, who is also the head of VR46.

"He said it's impossible to measure how much Valentino has assisted him."

"During the initial years, he consistently provided the perfect advice, aiding me and others in understanding the intricacies of each track and the crucial role of the tires."

"Vale now has his own set of championships and participates in many races, making it quite challenging for us to spend time together at home. We keep in touch through messages, but supporting each other from home is not easy."

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