Luca Marini returned to the podium in MotoGP by finishing third in the sprint race of the Thai GP. After starting in second place, he couldn’t hold off Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) behind him.
The Italian from the Mooney VR46 Racing Team explained to the official broadcast that the medium rear tire caused difficulties for him, despite being advantageous in qualifying:
– Well, the problem still remains with the medium rear [tyre], I’m struggling a little bit this weekend. But to make a qualifying lap this morning the tyre is incredible: you can push and the grip is there, so the bike also performs very well. But for the race pace, like now, I’m struggling a lot. In all the exits of the corners, also with Brad, I couldn’t attack him. When he passed me it was very difficult to me, then also the temperature of the front tyre rises up a lot and then it starts to close everywhere. The races now are a little bit like this, especially when it’s hot.
For the main race, Marini believes that a similar scenario could repeat itself, but he hopes to perform better with the hard tyre ‘Maybe tomorrow could be the same, but I expect a bit better potential with the hard rear [tyre]. But I also expect a little step from the other riders’.