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Luca Marini arrives in Barcelona after holding a private test session at Mugello, with HRC bringing many new parts to the track for an RCV that is currently unable to replicate the performance of its best competitors on the track. They are working in Japan even though ideas that look good on paper do not always translate into improvements from a track speed standpoint. Luca, however, said he was satisfied with what he tried at Mugello, convinced that at least the direction taken is the right one to go up the slope, asking only for patience before seeing those steps forward that so many expect from Honda.
Then in recent weeks there have been rumors about Luca's possible desire to part ways with HRC before the natural end of the contract that sees him bound until the end of 2025, rumors that Luca himself strongly denied in the meeting with journalists that took place today.
"This is something that makes me angry," Marini said, " I don't know who put this rumor out there, I think it was one particular person. I think he did it on purpose for his own interests. But I am happy with my adventure in Honda, I believe in this project. We have only raced five races and we are only at the beginning, everyone in Honda is pushing very hard and things can change quickly by bringing new parts to each test. I am focused and happy. It's true that it's hard, because last year I was fighting for the podium in every race, while today I'm fighting for one point and it's already hard to get it. But I am happy with the people I have around me and I think things will improve."
Did the testing at Mugello help?
"It always needs more, it's never enough. We tried many things and it was quite positive in my opinion. Now we have to figure out, after analyzing all the data from the tests, what new parts of the bike to use on the track already tomorrow, because there are many possibilities. We also have to decide what to homologate from the aerodynamic point of view, without being in too much of a hurry, also because they are working a lot in Japan and we will have more upgrades. We have to be smart in understanding if there are things that are clearly positive and use them, or wait for other upgrades.Also because the gap to the others is important today and we need clear steps forward to get closer . We found some good things, but we didn't improve as much as I thought we would on the lap, I would have expected more. It's a process and we know it takes time. It's also not easy for a rider to find the limit if you go in each time with different things on the bike, it takes time for Joan and me to be able to be fast and find the limit of the new bike. You can't take five tenths off a lap in a test."
Will this test at least help you for the GP in ten days or so?
"I don't think at Mugello in the test we prepared for the GP, precisely because in each outing we had a different bike. Even big things...so you don't go to set up for the race weekend. Mugello is a very suitable track for the development of a bike, because you understand very well the aerodynamics, the engine, There are many different corners, there is little grip and in my opinion it is better to test there rather than on tracks like Jerez. Hopefully in the future we can go back there to do more testing, because you always come away with a lot more answers. But that will not change our performance at the GP, if it happens it will only be because what we brought in testing is really an improvement."
The testing you were doing before was very different.
"I was in a satellite team, so everything was different. When I used to test in the past it was all about performance, you try setups but only to be faster. Today the work is completely different, I think you have to trust the Japanese engineers, they have a completely different working method than the Italians. But they are precise, they want to understand everything as best they can, and it's part of my job as a rider to share my impressions with them and give them answers that are as precise as possible. There is a good connection, we are growing well together."
Can you explain more about this approach of the Japanese?
"Their approach is that they want to understand everything, they want to check that everything works perfectly before they take it to the track with the risk that maybe it will break down causing a problem for the rider. They need riders who give them very correct information, who are able to give them the information as clearly as possible, including the feeling in the saddle. They don't need someone yelling at them saying things are not working."
Mir said he thinks the direction Honda has taken is wrong, what do you think?
"I can't say much about it. We are going in my opinion in the right direction, but I understand that everyone would have expected to see us start this season with better performance than in 2023, when in fact we are even worse off. That's why we lost some months, but now I think we are going in the correct direction of development, which then is the one that has been very clear to me since the first test in Malaysia. We need time, maybe already from this race we will see something different but I don't think the performance will change very much after the Mugello test. I think we will have a clearer idea after this weekend."
Will it be important to get a good result, or is it premature today to hope for that?
"Yes, let's look at the result because if we get close it means we have worked well in testing. I don't know yet which bike we will start with tomorrow. I don't think we will have all the package we tested at Mugello. Something different is there, it could be something big. But there will be more updates towards Aragon, Misano, we have to be smart. It's true that we have concessions, but that doesn't mean we can do as we please."
Do you think something really good will come between now and the end of the year for you at Honda?
"Impossible to say. Maybe Honda comes to the Misano test with a bike that works and you can fight for the podium until the end of the year. The truth is that from the Japanese you have to expect everything. Let's see if I change anything with the updates from tomorrow. I really don't think we will find half a second, but even two tenths would be a good thing."
Automatic Translation by DeepL
