MotoGP | Marini: “Honda can get back to the top, I'm looking for podiums and victories”

The 2023 MotoGP market has reserved several surprises and changes of jersey, but undoubtedly Marc Marquez's move from Honda to Ducati, customers of the Gresini team, was the move that surprised the paddock the most, both for how the negotiation developed and for how the agreement came to fruition.

The Spaniard's decision to abandon the team with which he has lived every MotoGP season since his debut way back in 2013 has however opened up the chance for another rider to join a team which, although experiencing a period of difficulty, has the resources and capabilities to try to move up the rankings. Furthermore, the history and coat of arms of the official Honda team always have a special appeal, with a legendary flavour. It was these aspects that convinced Luca Marini to abandon VR46, a team that has always proven to be competitive and with a good package, to try his hand at a completely new adventure with a thousand unknowns.

Marini was not the first choice of Honda's sporting directors and was not even on the initial list of candidates for the seat vacated by Marquez, given that he was still tied by a contract to Valentino Rossi's team. However, it was the Italian himself who asked his manager to open a negotiation with Honda, I expect the managers of the manufacturer Tokyo appreciated starting a negotiation.

“It was a shock when Marc announced that he was leaving this team, so I tried, with my manager and the other people who are always with me, to get in touch with Honda and see what possibilities I had in this new project, as well as developing a better bike that can win races and world titles again. This is our goal”, said Marini in the first interview released by the Japanese manufacturer.

“This is the best team in history, the numbers and statistics speak for themselves. The team is experiencing a particular moment, but I think we have the tools to recover [la griglia] very early. I will try to give my feedback and bring my energy into this project. If we can find the right direction, we can return to the top for many years.”

Although Alberto Puig and the racing team wanted a rider ready to accept a single season contract in order to have the opportunity to evaluate the opportunities on the market for 2025, Marini managed to convince Honda to guarantee him a two-year contract. The Italian had the opportunity to make first contact with the Japanese bike during the Valencia tests at the end of the year, thus starting to understand its secrets and what areas he could improve on in order to progress in the future. A task that is anything but simple, given that in recent years many pilots have encountered numerous difficulties in adapting to a very particular vehicle.

After a complicated season with injuries and the feeling of not being listened to by Honda leaders, Alex Rins chose to leave the LCR team towards the official Yamaha, while Joan Mir's 2023 was undermined by continuous falls due to lack of confidence in the bike. However, the Spaniard from the official team himself gave positive indications after testing the 2024 prototype, where new aerodynamics were tested along with other innovations, which led to the RC213V being longer but also lighter.

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Luca Marini, Repsol Honda Team

“I think we will work a lot, I have already had the opportunity to see and get to know many people inside the garage, I really like working with the Japanese and their culture. With the bike we will push from the start because Honda must return to winning races races as soon as possible,” said Marini, who has his priorities clear for his first season in HRC.

“I want to start with an open mind, we need to understand our speed and our potential after the first official tests. The objective now is to improve the bike, to obtain good performances. In terms of results, the first thing to do is to beat the my Honda teammates. But I also want to look forward, look for a way to get back on the podium with this bike and look for victory. I know it will be difficult, but we have to look forward”, added Marini, indicating as his first priority that of to be the reference driver for the Japanese manufacturer.

One of the good news for Marini is that Honda will have the new concession system at its disposal to develop the 2024 version of the RC213V more quickly. The first approach will take place during the shakedown test in Sepang from 1 to 3 February, in addition to the official pre-season tests which will be held, again in Malaysia, from 6 to 8 February. Finally there will be another test session in Qatar on 19 and 20 February, which precedes the season opener on 10 March at the same circuit.