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We get to see Luca Marini again, this time in Mandalika. The lasst time we got to see the rider from Pesaro was back in the Sprint Race in India, where he had fractured his left collarbone at the start of the Saturday races. After undergoing surgery, the VR46 rider is ready for the Asian round.
He’s obviously not in tip top shape, but he wants to try his best on a weekend that’s hot, to say the least, because of the high temperatures.
“I’m curious to start this race weekend, in order to understand what my actual conditions are,” he admitted. “In the end, the MotoGP puts you to the test like no other, and this will be an important test bench. In everyday life, I’m fine. Now I just have to wait for the feedback from the track. During these past weeks, I’ve spoken at length with the doctors, following all their indications, and I think I’ve come here in the best possible condition.”
In motorsports, we’ve witnessed lightning-fast recoveries over the years.
“True, but it all depends on how much you want to risk it. My fracture isn’t in good condition yet, but I certainly don’t have any more problems with infections, because the scar is clean.”
Health problems aside, he then talked about how to prevent various accidents on the track.
“This is the situation at the moment, and there’s not much we can do. Surely, we’ll have to do something with 2024 in mind, so that all the riders are on the grid, since they’re an important part of the show. At the moment, however, we still don’t know where to start. The sprint race? It’s not the approach that changes, it’s just the odds that double.”
But Marini has an idea.
“Maybe they could consider removing the holeshot, since the bikes now have more or less the same performance, especially at the start, as well as in some corners. We, for example, have seen where the bikes had abnormal movements in some sections in Japan. In this MotoGP, the start and the first three or four corners completely change a rider’s race. If, after the first lap, you lose two seconds, your race is already over, because the performances are the same, and the paces are similar.”
Aleix Espargarò had proposed doubling the penalties.
“We are doubling them, because the rider will probably then behave in a less risky manner. But it’s difficult to understand when a rider makes a mistake or is involved in a dubious situation, in which the dynamics are unclear.”
In all this, Marc Marquez is ready to put pen to paper with Gresini.
“I think it’s a great thing, as well as an opportunity for all of us riders to see his data and further improve.”
Finally, he speaks about the introduction of the weight limit in the SBK.
“I think it’s a fair thing to have the same weight since, in the end, it’s in all the sports, like the F1. We could make a rule that the heavier riders can lighten their bikes, since I have a dead weight. Also, I wouldn’t necessarily say that the minimum weight should penalize the smaller riders. A smaller rider can put on three to four kilos more, while it’s difficult for a heavier rider to lose them.”
