Luca Marini: “Everything fine” with Joan Mir, Honda concession change “still achievable”
Luca Marini says “everything is fine” after being taken out by team-mate Joan Mir in the Valencia MotoGP Sprint, insists Honda can still claim the nine points needed to change concession class.
After going 19 rounds with a single crash in a MotoGP weekend, Luca Marini suffered his third in three rounds in Saturday’s Valencia Sprint
This time it came in the form of friendly fire from Honda team-mate Joan Mir, who lost control during an overtake attempt on lap 2, falling and then wiping out Marini.
“I don't want to talk about the crash because I already spoke with Joan and everything is fine,” said Marini.
Mir, who immediately gestured an apology in the gravel trap, was given a long lap penalty for the incident.
“I didn't re-watch the crash,” added Marini, before knowing the decision of the FIM MotoGP Stewards.
“I think that [the Stewards] did a good job this year on the penalties, so they need to take their decision because I think they were quite fair during all the season.
“There is a big improvement compared to the past years, so we have to be satisfied about that. At the end, for me, it has no meaning to say something or another thing. They will take the best decision as possible.”
Marini and Mir were only 13th and 14th at the time, meaning points were far from guaranteed even if they had stayed on.
“We were struggling so much and it's not easy for us riding here and we are missing some performance,” Marini confirmed.
“So, I think we need to focus more on this because all the other manufacturers are in front of us and at the moment we are not able to fight with them.”
Losing D concessions "still a target that is achievable"
With LCR’s Johann Zarco finishing as the top RC213V in tenth place, Honda remains nine points short of moving up a concession class from D to C.
That would mean a reduction in technical perks such as private testing and engine design modifications.
Marini - like Mir - insists their goal is now to claim the seventh place or better needed in the grand prix leave band D.
“Tomorrow we will try to do our best to make a good start and finish inside P7,” Marini said.
“In the long race everything can happen, so I think it's still a target that is achievable.
“Let's see the weather and the temperature, because for the tyre choice in the front it's always critical.”
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Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
