In the 2024 MotoGP season, Luca Marini, the new signing for Repsol Honda, has faced criticism for his lackluster performance on the RC213V. As the only full-time rider on the grid yet to earn a point, his results have been disappointing. However, it is important to consider the different role Marini has been hired for this year.
Marini’s season has been far from impressive. He consistently finishes at the back of the pack and occasionally finds himself battling with riders from rival manufacturers after they’ve recovered from crashes. His pace this year has been nowhere near his form in 2023.
In the previous season, Marini finished eighth in the championship standings, outperforming his fellow Ducati riders. This made him a reasonable choice for Honda when they needed a replacement for Marc Marquez at short notice. However, it was not expected for Marini to replicate his eighth-place finish 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, crashing three times on Sundays and scoring only one point in the Saturday sprints. When comparing Marini’s and Mir’s finishing records, it becomes clear that Marini’s ability to complete every race is a strength.
When Honda signed Marini, they knew of his reputation as one of the series’ most intelligent and articulate racers. He is the ideal candidate to help develop a bike that is objectively the worst on the grid. While Marini may not have achieved high scores this year, his role as a test rider allows him to gather valuable data and provide high-quality feedback to the team.
In essence, Marini is not a replacement for Marquez but rather a replacement for Stefan Bradl, who filled in for Marquez in 2020. Honda could have chosen a faster or more exciting rider, but they prioritized the data collected by Bradl over on-track success. Marini’s Ducati experience and access to testing time on race weekends make him a valuable asset for Honda in their pursuit of meaningful results with the RC213V.