Honda “missing some little pieces to enjoy” MotoGP 2026
Luca Marini says it is “a pity” the MotoGP rules are changing for 2027, causing Honda’s progress to slow in 2026.
The closing stages of the 2025 MotoGP season saw Honda celebrate a pair of podiums with Joan Mir and promotion out of concession Rank D.
This season, however, the RC213V has managed a best finish of fifth, with Honda scoring 29 fewer constructors’ points than at the same stage last year.
Luca Marini believes the loss of momentum is largely down to HRC "understandably" shifting its development focus to next year's new 850cc/Pirelli era.
"It's a pity"
Reflecting on the progress he has seen since joining Honda in 2024, Marini, who will move to Tech3 KTM next season, said:
“From 2024 to now is completely different in every aspect. It was like a revolution in a very good way.
"I think that, or my side, the change of rules for next year, it’s a pity. Because we could do much more in 2026 if the rules kept going like this.
"Even if they changed the riders. They would improve the project, they would keep listening to me, and keep working on the bike.
"While unfortunately, now all the effort is put on the new [2027] bike that, of course, I understand.”
Marini, 11th overall and Honda’s leading rider in the world championship standings, added:
“In this 2026, we are not collecting the results that we expected and what we worked for in the past two years.
“So when I arrived at Honda, we needed to work all together to build something.
“And now that it’s ready, it’s still missing some little pieces to enjoy a little bit more with the results.
“Because we enjoy a lot the time in the garage, the atmosphere is fantastic, but we’re missing some bigger results, and the opportunity to work for it in every weekend.”
Marini and team-mate Mir will lose their factory seats to a new HRC line-up featuring Fabio Quartararo and either Diogo Moreira or David Alonso.
"Why not him?”
Asked whether Moreira, currently spending his rookie MotoGP season at LCR, or Moto2 race winner Alonso should get the second factory ride, Marini replied:
“Well, for me, they are both super good riders, very talented.
“Diogo is doing everything very well, riding well, so I just can tell you something of him, because I'm racing against him at this moment.
“David, when he comes in MotoGP, maybe he will be faster or slower, this we don't know.
“But they will be here in MotoGP for a long time, because they have good talent, incredible speed, and they show a lot on track with their results.
“So they will do a fantastic career in MotoGP.
“Let's see who will be faster. But I think that what I can tell you is that Diogo is riding well, in the data he is doing everything correct.
“So at the moment, he's doing everything well in MotoGP, so why not him?”
Moreira, 14th in the world championship, was Honda’s leading rider at Aragon, finishing seventh in the Sprint and ninth in the Grand Prix.
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.
