Label: Luca marini

Marini: At the moment we are testing more than racing

Marini: At the moment we are testing more than racing

MotoGP News
Luca Marini said that at Honda they took today's sprint race more for testing than real racing, as they were far from fighting for potential points. Already in the morning qualifications, Honda racers occupied the last four starting positions. The best result in the race was achieved by Joan Mir, who finished fourteenth. Marini, on the other hand, was the last to cross the finish line in eighteenth place. After the end, the Italian said that they used today's sprint race both for racing and, above all, for testing, as they were far from being able to fight for points. "At the moment we are doing both racing and testing. We already knew before the race that we could not get involved in the fight for points. The key to the development of the motorcycle is to spend as much time as possible on the track." "It is very difficult today
Marini did not expect such a big gap

Marini did not expect such a big gap

MotoGP News
Luca Marini finished the first race with Honda in Qatar in last place, and the gap surprised him a little after the slightly more encouraging results in testing. The Italian's team-mate Joan Mir finished the sprint race in Qatar in fifteenth place, 11 seconds ahead of Marini and was the highest-placed Honda rider. "It's a strange day for me because, to be honest, I didn't expect to be so far behind," he said. "Even the team didn't expect such a gap. All weekend I was able to keep up with the other Honda riders, but today they were quite far ahead of me. We have to understand why it happened, because the feeling on the bike was no worse. I was good on the brakes, but we need to improve a lot in other areas.It's only our first race together so I'm confident d
Marini: Pecco "showed his muscles" in the tests to gain a better position in negotiations with Ducati

Marini: Pecco "showed his muscles" in the tests to gain a better position in negotiations with Ducati

MotoGP News
Francesco Bagnaia was the best in both pre-season tests. He even improved the official track record in both Sepang and Qatar, which suggests that he will be the main contender to win the world championship again this year. This would be his third in a row. All his competitors also agree that the Italian is the one to beat. An interesting statement was made by Luca Marini at the end of the tests in Qatar. In this, he referred to the fact that Bagnaia has not yet renewed his contract with Ducati and that he should increase his bargaining power with the results of the testing. Like most racers, his contract expires at the end of this season. "I think that Pecco was particularly motivated at this year's tests, because he expects that after good results he will have better conditions in negotiations with Ducati
Joan Mir happy with the new boss of mechanics, Santi Hernandez

Joan Mir happy with the new boss of mechanics, Santi Hernandez

MotoGP News
Spaniard Joan Mir has welcomed a change in the Repsol Honda garage, as he will team up with Santi Hernandez this season, with whom Marc Marquez won the Moto2 title and then six more MotoGP world titles. Marquez left Honda at the end of 2023 and moved to the Gresina team, but he failed to bring his loyal chief mechanic there, who will work with Joan Miro from this year. Hernandez was initially expected to be assigned to Luca Marini to fill the seat vacated by Marquez, but before the end of 2023 Mir asked Honda to assign Hernandez to him, with Marini partnering compatriot Giacomo Guidotti. "Joan asked us to trade," team boss Alberto Puig explained. "It seemed reasonable to us, because Santi is Spanish and Giacomo is Italian, and the racer gets lost more easily
OFFICIAL: Luca Marini to Repsol Honda as replacement for Marc Marquez

OFFICIAL: Luca Marini to Repsol Honda as replacement for Marc Marquez

MotoGP News
The Repsol Honda team has now also officially confirmed that Luca Marini is coming to their garage in the 2024 season, where he will take over the place vacated by Marc Marquez. Marini competed for his brother's VR46 team for three seasons, and the 26-year-old Italian wanted new challenges and the opportunity to race for the factory team. Marini has signed a two-season contract with an option to extend. The vacancy in the VR46 team will probably be filled by Fabio Di Giannantonio, who lost his job in the Gresini Racing team, where Marc Marquez is coming.
Marini: I race differently against Pecc

Marini: I race differently against Pecc

MotoGP News
Luca Marini admitted that some racers race against Francesco Bagnaja differently than against other competitors. Francesco Bagnaia has many friends thanks to the fact that he is a member of Rossi's racing academy in the MotoGP class caravan. Of course, Jorge Martin is not considered a hated racer, but in some races it was noticed that many racers (mainly members of Rossi's academy) are more cautious in direct duels with Bagnaio. "At the moment I don't look at Pecco the same as the other drivers. In any other part of the season, my approach is the same as the others. If I have the chance to overtake him I will, but at the moment he is fighting for the title and I am more careful." In the race, which he started from the best starting position, Marini could not interfere in the fight for victory. Nevertheless
Luca Marini with a pole record in Qatar

Luca Marini with a pole record in Qatar

MotoGP News
Luca Marini won the best starting position in Qatar with a track record (1:51.762). Alongside him, Gresini team racers Fabio Di Giannantonio and Alex Marquez will start today's sprint race and tomorrow's main race from the front row. https://twitter.com/MotoGP/status/1725867067725750777 World title contenders Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin finished fourth and fifth respectively. The sixth time was set by Johann Zarco ahead of Marco Marquez. The top ten was completed by the Aprilia Maverick Vinales racers Raul Fernandez and Aleix Espargaro. Eleventh and twelfth place went to Brad Binder and Augusta Fernandez. The thirteenth time was set by Marco Bezzecchi ahead of Fabio Quartararo and Eneo Bastianini. Jack Miller will start the race only from sixteenth place
Uccio: We want a Moto 2 racer

Uccio: We want a Moto 2 racer

MotoGP News
Monney VR46 team director Alessio Salucci (Uccio) admitted that Fabio Di Giannantonio is not among the candidates to replace Luca Marini. The latter will become a new member of Honda's factory team after the end of the season. Valentino Rossi's team is said to be in serious talks for the transfer of Fermin Aldeguer. But the winner of the last two races in the Moto 2 class is not the only contender. Among others, middle class world runner-up Tony Arbolino is said to be on the wish list. "I don't know exactly how close the agreement with Honda is, but Luca will not be a member of our team next season," Uccio said today in Qatar. "As far as our team is concerned, I can say that Fabio Di Giannantonio is not among the candidates for the vacant seat, as we want a young rider from Moto 2. We have two or three names on our wish list and in
Marquez expected Honda's approach to Di Giannantonio not Marini

Marquez expected Honda's approach to Di Giannantonio not Marini

MotoGP News
Marc Marquez admitted he was surprised by Honda's decision to lure Luca Marini to its garage rather than Fabio di Giannantonio. Marquez will move to the Gresini team before the start of the 2024 season, but it is still unknown who will take his place at Honda. The Japanese-based team has been linked with a number of racers in recent weeks, with Honda reportedly signing Luca Marini. "I don't know what Honda's plans are, but a few races ago I thought they would bet on Di Giannantonio. Already in Thailand, things started to turn towards Marini, who, it seems, will take my place. I'm happy for Luca .We've always gotten along well. He's young and now an experienced Ducati racer, which is the best bike to get good results in. I don't know what motivates him to switch to Honda. Sa
The winner Bastianini and Bagnaia cautioned for tire pressure

The winner Bastianini and Bagnaia cautioned for tire pressure

MotoGP News
After the MotoGP race for the Malaysian Grand Prix, another five riders were cautioned for low tire pressure. Among them are race winner Enea Bastianini and championship points leader Francesco Bagnaia, who was third in the race. In addition to the riders of the Ducati factory team, Luca Marini, Alvaro Bautista and Iker Lecuona also received warnings, but since this is their first offense, they only received a warning, and a 3-second penalty follows for any subsequent offense. Bagnaia has a 14-point lead over Jorge Martin in the championship standings, who received his tire pressure penalty warning at the Thai GP, with two sprints and two main races remaining in the season. Since the first offense does not bring a penalty this year, some racers or teams in Malaysia should tactically hope