How was M. able to learnotorsport.com, i contacts between Gianluca Falcioni, the Italian’s manager, and Alberto Puig, HRC team manager, intensified on Saturday in the Sepang paddock, after several meetings between the Spanish manager and the Japanese Honda officials, who had arrived in Malaysia.
Asked on Friday about the possibility of a move to Honda, after Puig had tipped him as an interesting alternative to replace Marc Marquez, Luca Marini welcomed the interest but stressed he would consider leaving Ducati and the Mooney VR46 only to join a project lasting more than a year. At this point it is not clear whether Honda, which initially had considered the idea of offering only one season to the new purchase, has changed its plans to convince the rider from Urbino.
“The goal of the Academy and the VR46 team is to develop riders who go as far as possible and for a rider going to an official team is the best,” Valentino Rossi team boss Uccio Salucci agreed on Saturday.
“The problem, in today’s MotoGP, is that in a year, with only five days of pre-season testing, there is no time for anything. My goal is to get to an official team and develop a bike, but it is fundamental do it with the right opportunities,” Marini said Friday. “Doing just one year in a MotoGP team is very risky for any rider. The Ducati is scary, it’s a bike that allows you to go fast. But, I have to say, developing a bike that you like would be a very nice thing,” added Valentino Rossi’s brother, with a clear reference to Honda.
“I would prefer him to stay with us, but I would also be happy if he left, because the goal of the Academy (the VR46 driver training school) is to help our guys get to an official team,” he agreed on Saturday the director of Mooney VR46, Uccio Salucci.
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Fermin Aldeguer, Speed Up Racing
Aware of the real possibility of losing Marini, the Tavullia team moved quickly to find a replacement. Motorsport.com was able to discover that the chosen one is Fermin Aldeguer. At 18, the Spaniard has become one of the fittest riders of the moment in Moto2, so much so that he has been linked to Honda with a view to 2024. Although Puig has denied having had contact with the Spaniard or with his agent Hector Faubel, the The former Valencian driver got in touch on Saturday with the managers of VR46, who made him an offer on Saturday evening at 6pm, awaiting Marini’s departure.
Although the details of the agreement are still being finalised, everything is ready for the number 10 to join Joan Mir in the Repsol colours. While there are those who might be surprised by his decision to leave his brother’s team, Motorsport.com he interprets that this was one of the reasons that led Marini to make the decision to join the HRC, where no one will think that he has any kind of protection from the “Doctor”.
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