During the 2024 MotoGP season, Luca Marini, the new recruit of Repsol Honda, has faced criticism for his weak performance on the RC213V. As the only full-time rider on the grid who has yet to score any points, his results have been disappointing. However, it is important to consider the different role for which Marini was hired this year.
Marini’s season is far from impressive. He consistently finishes at the back of the pack and occasionally finds himself battling with riders from rival manufacturers after recovering from accidents. His speed this year is far from his form in 2023.
In the previous season, Marini finished in eighth place in the championship standings, outperforming his Ducati teammates. This made him a reasonable choice for Honda when they urgently needed a substitute for Marc Marquez. However, Marini was not expected to replicate his eighth place this year, especially considering the difficulties of the RC213V. Even Marquez, a six-time MotoGP champion, struggled with the bike last year.
Another factor to consider is Marini’s teammate, Joan Mir, who won the championship in 2020. Mir has had a difficult season, suffering three crashes on Sundays and scoring only one point in Saturday races. When comparing Marini and Mir’s records in the races, it becomes clear that Marini’s ability to complete all the races is a strength.
When Honda hired Marini, they were aware of his reputation as one of the smartest and articulate riders in the series. He is the ideal candidate to help develop a bike that is objectively the worst on the grid. Although Marini has not achieved high scores this year, his role as a test rider allows him to collect valuable data and provide high-quality feedback to the team.
En essence, Marini n’est pas un substitut de Marquez, mais plutôt un remplaçant de Stefan Bradl, qui a remplacé Marquez en 2020. Honda aurait pu choisir un pilote plus rapide ou plus excitant, mais ils ont privilégié les données collectées par Bradl plutôt que le succès sur la piste. L’expérience de Marini avec Ducati et son accès aux essais pendant les week-ends de course en font un atout précieux pour Honda dans sa quête de résultats significatifs avec la RC213V.
