Luca Marini shares wish to develop a title-winning bike as Honda move looms
The VR46 rider is set to repl𒆙ace Marc Marquez at Rep💛sol Honda in the 2024 MotoGP rider line-up.
He will trade a Ducati, today’s best bi𒆙ke༺ on the grid, for a Honda which has under-performed even with the esteemed Marquez riding it.
But an opportunity to lead an entire project to the front of the sport is what 🍸attracts Marini is.
Asked about de⛎veloping a bike, he said: 🤡“Yes. I think I can be that kind of rider.”
Marini detailed the strengths that he could bring to Honda: “The speed and the talent.🌳 Every MotoGP rider is fast and fantastic.
“I have very good sensitꦉivity on the bike and I can share my feedback very well with the engineers.
“With Gigi Dalꦅl’Igna and the Ducati engineers, I’ve done my best [to give] more feedback to help them🐭 develop the best bike. Trying to help everyone work together to achieve the target.”
Honda’s mission to replace Marquez, who is heading to Gresini Ducati, 🧜took them up and down the MotoGP paddock and even briefly into Moto2.
But they have settled on Marini, reportedly on a two-year deal, w🅰hich will promote him from being a s🍒atellite rider into one of the more historically prestigious spots on the grid.
He admi⛦tted to being 🉐proud that Honda considered him: “Yes, a lot. For me, it is a great moment.
“It’s something I was looking fo𒐪r, for the future.
“My target, my goal, is to ride for a manufacturer in a factory team and to develop the best bike to fight for the title🍌.
“The opportunity to be in this situation is great. “Let’s see how, in the future, it will be🍬.
“For now, I am happy to be in this position.”
Ahead of this weekend’s Qatar MotoGP, Marini’s move to Repsol Honda is yet to be con🐻firmed as VR46 seek a replacement.
Fermin Aldeguer is in pole position to joi🦹n Valentino🎀 Rossi’s squad.
James was a sports journalist at Sky ℱSports for a꧂ decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
