Luca Marini: 2026 Honda “already better than bike we have now”

Luca Marini is confident that Honda’s 2026 MotoGP prototype is already “better than the bike we have now.”

After an early wet win for Johann Zarco and a podium for the Frenchman at Silverstone, Honda’s results suffered a mid-season slump.

However, updates to the chassis, swingarm, engine and aero have helped the RCV become a regular top-six contender since the summer break.

Marini and team-mate Joan Mir have both taken their best-yet Honda results in recent rounds, a fourth place for the Italian in the Balaton Sprint, followed by a podium for Mir at Motegi.

"Engine always the most difficult part of the bike"

The Honda riders have also shown impressive straight-line performance, including Mir setting the highest speed of the weekend last time in Indonesia.

“Power!” confirmed Marini, when asked the latest Honda engine. “They did a very good job. 

"The overall performance is better, but they worked very well in particular because improving the engine is always the most difficult part of the bike, in my opinion.”

That’s because improving one part of an engine’s performance or character, usually takes something else away.

“This time they did it very well… A little bit more performance, with everything [else] the same.”

Meanwhile, the carbon fibre swingarm is not so clear cut, with Marini switching back and forth.

“Aluminium is better in some areas, like on-gas and pick-up phase and drive area, but is a bit worse in [corner] entry,” he said.

But when there is little overall performance difference, the Italian favours the composite.

“We put carbon because it is lighter, and the weight makes a lot of difference. We always try to be very light on the bike…

“Because I am a little bit taller and heavier than other riders, it is super-important for us in terms of managing the tyres and stopping power.”

Marini began the Indonesian MotoGP weekend fastest in FP1, and finished it with fifth place - in the thick of a big podium battle - in the grand prix.

2026 Honda “already better than the bike we have now”

Honda now looks set to carry its end-of-season momentum into 2026 with next year’s machine already undergoing testing with the race riders.

“Next year’s bike will be even better,” Marini declared. “We are developing it every time with new ideas and some updates.

“We’ll try it for sure again in the Valencia test, but I think it’s already better than the bike we have now.”

One area that Honda is targeting to become regular podium contenders is getting more from the tyres during a time attack, so that they can start higher on the grid.

“We need to find a better way to extract the grip from the rear tyre, and use it better. Because at the moment, this is the biggest issue that we can have when we are riding,” Marini explained.

Marini starts the final four rounds of the season 13th in the world championship, but within 20 points of LCR’s Johann Zarco (10th), having outscored the Frenchman by 70 points to 31 over the last nine rounds.

Mir, in 15th overall, has scored 45 points over the same period.