“Amazing job” - Luca Marini on where Joan Mir “makes the difference” in MotoGP qualifying

Delivering his best performances of the MotoGP weekend on Sundays has helped Luca Marini climb to tenth and the leading Honda rider in the world championship standings.

But his life would be a lot easier if he could qualify better.

The HRC rider has finished in the top ten during five of the last seven grands prix, despite starting from an average grid position of 15th.

Indeed, Marini has qualified inside the top ten only twice so far this season.

“On Sunday, my performance is always the best of the weekend. I'm nearly always the first rider on the Japanese bike,” he said.

“So for Sunday, the potential is there, but if I start every time P15, P16, then everything gets really complicated.

“I would like to make some easier races! Starting from P8, P9 would be fantastic.”

The dilemma, Marini explained, is that attempts to find more grip can make the bike increasingly nervous.

“Every time we try to find more grip, the bike starts to be nervous and I'm losing a lot of time because of the shaking on the exit and the traction control is cutting a lot.

“So we need to always find a balance between this.

“The edge grip is not enough for one lap, but also if you try to find more grip, then when we pick up the bike, it shakes a lot, so it's a little bit difficult.”

“Joan is doing an amazing job"

Marini also praised team-mate Joan Mir who, despite being only 18th in the World Championship, has qualified close to the top ten at recent rounds.

“Joan is doing an amazing job, because he brakes really hard and deep in these last couple of events, and he's able to make the difference in qualifying compared to me.

“So I can improve on this side, for sure.”

With Honda winding down development of its final 1000cc machine ahead of the new 850cc and Pirelli era, Marini does not expect the character of the RC213V to change significantly over the remaining rounds.

“In the first half of the season we changed everything. But at the end, the feeling and the behaviour of the bike, the DNA is always the same.

“So now just keep my base and keep working on finding a better performance, especially in qualifying, because it's what is missing this year.”

Marini is understood to have completed a move to Tech3 KTM for 2027, although no official announcement has yet been made. 

Mir will move to Gresini Ducati while Honda is yet to confirm if David Alonso or Diogo Moreira will partner new signing Fabio Quartararo at the factory team.