The Tavulia Ranch was the stage for Luca Marini’s first victory on a Honda, as he emerged victorious in the 100km dei Campioni organized by his brother Valentino Rossi. It was a somewhat competitive first experience on a bike from the Japanese manufacturer, although it is very different from the RC213V he will encounter in MotoGP.
Number 10 spoke to Sky Sport MotoGP about his impressions of the bike… and his brother: ‘It wasn’t easy, we had to work, make some corrections because we have a lot of data, a lot of experience with Yamaha, and this year I used a Honda. I am very happy to be able to use it. It’s very pleasant to ride, but I still need some time. Anyway, the race went well, and I managed to win. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it. It seems to me that Rossi is also in good shape’.
Emphasizing his commitment to realizing the dream of returning to success with Honda, Marini highlighted the work he has been doing before the essential preseason tests: ‘Honestly, I really liked this new feeling; it’s very nice to be part of the Honda family. We have a joint dream, and we have to try to make it come true as soon as possible. We are also working hard this winter. I have been in contact with the whole team to try to work on every detail of the bike so that we are as prepared as possible for Malaysia. I am sure we will have many things to test, and the days will be useful for me; I will also have to adapt to the bike to get to know it better. Only one day in Valencia was really too little’.