Luca Marini underwent a major shift in his career this year when he joined Honda. It was not only his first time as a factory rider in MotoGP, but he also had to adapt to a radically different culture from Europe in terms of work methods.
Communication proved to be a critical aspect. The Italian revealed to Crash.net that, in addition to following advice, he even tried to learn the Japanese language:
– When I arrived here, many people told me «communication with the Japanese is more difficult. Try to explain yourself in a very clear and calm way». So I do that in the best way I can. I tried to learn Japanese, I won’t give up, but it’s super difficult!
Once trust was built with the team, Marini came to appreciate Honda’s working style: ‘I try to give very precise feedback to them, also because what a rider feels on the bike is difficult sometimes to see on the data. I really appreciate their culture and their way of working. It’s about trying to create a good connection, to also understand how they think. Because sometimes it’s a little bit different, because of their culture and their experiences. So we try to all be on the same side’.
