Rossi’s half-brother Marina doesn’t want to join MotoGP too soon

Luca Marini, half-brother of the legendary Valentino Rossi, will also be racing in the Moto2 class this year, the last podium before the toughest class of the motorcycle championship, and could already advance to MotoGP next season. But the 21-year-old Italian, who will be racing for Rossi's Sky Racing Team VR46, says he is in no hurry to make the transfer and could stay at Moto2 even if he becomes world champion this year.

“The result at the end of the season doesn’t matter,” he said on Friday, at the team’s presentation. “Of course, my goal is to win, but that is the goal of all of us. However, winning doesn’t mean that because you’re a champion, you have to go into MotoGP. Whatever the outcome, we need to monitor the state of contracts in MotoGP, where most are for two seasons and only a few riders have a one-year contract. We have to wait for the right opportunity. We’ll see what happens next season, but I’m in no hurry at MotoGP, ”he said, adding that while it would be interesting to race against half-brother Valentin, it’s more important to think about your career. “I wouldn’t want to take a risk just to race with Valentin for a year and thereby jeopardize my career. It's best for me to prove myself in the Moto2 class this year and then assess the situation. ”

Marini said he does not want his career to go the way of Franco Morbidelli, who became the Moto2017 class world champion in 2 and had a difficult season last year. “In these times, it’s especially important to come to MotoGP with a competing team and not risk your career. Morbidelli found himself on a motorcycle last year, which did not allow him to show all his talent, so he had to take a lot of risks and even injured himself when he tried to catch up with the motorcycle. I really wouldn’t want to find myself in a situation like that. I'd rather stay in Moto2 and win. ”

Marina doesn’t know how well he’s going before this season, as he underwent left shoulder surgery over the winter, and this year he will be racing on 765cc Triumph engines that replaced the 600cc Honda. He sees Brad Binder, Lorenzo Baldassari, Alex Marquez, Xavi Viergo and Marcel Schrotter fighting for the title. “Newcomer Jorge Martin will also be interesting, as well as some other newcomers. I have to stay on real ground myself, as I have lost the advantage of experience over newcomers, and my physical form is also questionable. After the first tests, I will be able to say something more about my goals for this year, ”he added.