“Maybe this weekend”: Luca Marini expecting imminent announcement on MotoGP future

Luca Marini’s time at Honda will conclude at the end of the 2026 MotoGP season; the remaining half of his future could be announced as soon as this weekend, he says.

Marini joined Honda HRC from VR46 Ducati at the end of the 2023 MotoGP season, but the factory team has opted for Fabio Quartararo and one of David Alonso and Diogo Moreira for the 2027 season. With Johann Zarco on a contract that takes him through the end of 2027, there’s no space for either Marini or his current team-mate Joan Mir.

More recently Marini has been linked with the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team, although nothing is yet official, but that could change before long, according to Marini.

“I think maybe this weekend we will have some announcement,” said Luca Marini ahead of the British MotoGP.

“Everything will come maybe [...] this weekend – I don’t know now, at the moment. But we will see.”

Marini added that while he can’t say what his future is just yet, he is pleased with the outcome that will be announced.

“Now it’s not the moment to talk about this, but for sure I’m happy,” he said.

“Of course, MotoGP is the dream for everybody,” he continued, “so to be here is fantastic and I feel that I still can do a lot of things here. 

“My motivation is for 100 per cent here, so this is what I want to do, so [while] I enjoy so much like this I want to keep going.”

Despite departing HRC at the end of this season, Marini does not feel that this will have an impact on development in the second half of 2026.

“This is not the situation,” he said. “It’s not like this. Honda every time is super-clear with us and very respectful, it’s just that they take their own decision and in the future they will understand if it’s the correct one or not. 

“I think that for the situation that we have now, that this is the last season of the 1,000cc bike, is a little bit more unique, so the development of the bike is a little bit stopped for this reason, not for other things.”

Marini doubts that the development Honda could do in the remainder of the season will be enough for the podium, but he thinks consistent top-sixes could be possible.

“I think the main topic is to understand if we can improve a little bit our technical package because, at the end, next season with the change of the rules, [...] all the energy, all the money, all the focus is on the new project for every manufacturer,” Marini explained.

“But Honda has also the power to keep pushing a bit on this [1,000cc] project because we want to make good results at the end of this season, because we want to enjoy and especially working on what will be necessary for them for the future. 

“So, I think we are trying to do something smart, that lets them also improve the bike of next year, or what we can test this season. 

“We want to be on the podium, but I think it will be very difficult in this season because everybody has improved so much. 

“The bike has improved this year but not enough, but if we are able to find two or three details I think we are able to fight for sure for the top-six in every GP.”