Hargo.co.id – Luca Marini believes aiding Honda’s resurgence in MotoGP 2024 won’t be easy. Yet, he feels honored to represent Repsol Honda, the most prestigious team in Grand Prix history.
For him, defending this squad is like a footballer playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona.
In total, the Honda factory team has clinched 19 rider world championships in the GP500/MotoGP class, with 15 attained under the Repsol Honda banner since 1995.
Moreover, they’ve also secured the team championship title 10 times since its inception in MotoGP 2002.
Marini follows in the footsteps of his brother, Valentino Rossi, who donned the Repsol Honda uniform in 2002 and 2003, securing two titles.
Unfortunately, Honda has struggled for the past four seasons, and Marini is said to have arrived at an inopportune time. However, he believes they can return to the top.
Ideal Team Because of Dream Team
“I feel like I’m the right rider for Honda at the moment, and I feel for me, Honda is the ideal team because this is my dream. It’s like playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona. Spectacular,” said Marini in the Por Orejas podcast quoted by Motorsport Italia on Thursday (01/18/2024).
Marini, previously with Ducati via the Mooney VR46 Racing Team, now represents Repsol Honda with a two-season contract as the replacement for six-time MotoGP world champion, Marc Marquez.
Marini acknowledges the weight he carries but remains optimistic about working well with Honda.
“It’s clear that currently, the technical package of Honda isn’t the best, but with the experience I have in MotoGP with Ducati and everything I can contribute to Honda, in the near future, we can fight for the top again, for the podium,” said the 26-year-old rider.
Honda Must Be Patient, No Rush
However, Marini doesn’t want to be too ambitious about his targets with Repsol Honda in MotoGP 2024. He believes outstanding performance cannot be achieved instantly. The most important thing is to work diligently and not rush in developing the latest RC213V.
“I think for now, we can only improve ourselves. We have to be patient and give ourselves time, not rush. MotoGP is a complicated arena with a lot of rivalries. Not just from Ducati, but also from KTM, Aprilia, and Yamaha, all striving to improve the bike,” he explained.
“It won’t be easy, but we have to work better than our rivals. I’m confident we have the potential and the right people to do it,” concluded the rider nicknamed ‘Marinovich,’ who was also the Moto2 runner-up in 2020.
Source: Por Orejas Podcast, Motorsport Italia
