Yellow Flags Stall Honda’s Q2 Hopes at Australian MotoGP: Marini and Zarco Highlight Untapped Potential

Honda's opportunity to advance to Q2 was thwarted by yellow flags during MotoGP practice in Australia. Luca Marini expressed optimism, stating, "We're almost there."

During Friday's practice session for the MotoGP Australian Grand Prix, Luca Marini nearly secured a spot in Q2. However, he believes that his actual performance was not fully reflected due to late yellow flags.

On Thursday, Johann Zarco expressed confidence in Honda's prospects at Phillip Island, noting that the track's design and excellent grip would be advantageous for the RC213V.

Certainly, throughout most of the only practice session on Friday, Zarco remained within the top 10, positioning himself for a Q2 spot, as Marini also posed a challenge, aiming to have two Hondas in the mix.

When the race concluded, Zarco had fallen to 14th place, and Marini dropped to 19th due to late yellow flags that hindered his attempt to recover in Q2.

Ultimately, the opportunity to enjoy riding was what mattered, according to Marini.

The updated surface has slightly altered the experience, so it was beneficial to spend some time on it while it was dry.

"We must continue refining the bike to enhance its performance, but even in its current state, we are quite near."

"It's unfortunate that during the final laps, as we were trying to enhance our time, the yellow flags obscured our true capabilities."

"I plan to enhance my setup and riding skills, as there is significant room for growth. We are continually working and making progress."

The optimism regarding Honda's prospects in Australia also included Joan Mir, even though he is still lacking speed in the qualifying session, where he placed 17th.

Mir expressed optimism about today's events, noting that he feels quite comfortable in his current situation. He previously mentioned experiencing vibration problems with new soft tires in recent competitions.

"It's completely expected for the weather to influence things here, so you need to be prepared. As a team, we managed to modify our strategy and deal with it effectively."

"When it came time to go for a quick lap on the fresh tires at the session's conclusion, we fell short by a few tenths, which would have been quite beneficial for us."

"We need to continue improving in this area, and we already have some strategies in mind for tomorrow's qualifying. Our main goal is to secure the best starting position possible, as our overall pace is solid."

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