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Luca Marini was unable to go any better than 15th position in the Buriram Sprint on Saturday. Thanks to a start from the back and not being able to get into Q2, the Honda rider found himself climbing a mountain right from the start.
For his part, there is a lot of transparency and sincerity in analyzing what was his performance in the first race of the weekend. Obviously he was very disappointed, seeing as his teammate managed to finish in the top ten.
"The only problem was not getting into Q2 - he began - yesterday I did the same time as Zarco and Mir, but it went differently for me. This is the best we can achieve at this moment and that's fine. Compared to 2024, we have recovered 3-4 tenths from our opponents and the seconds cannot drop. The race was tough, because when you are behind the temperature rises and everything becomes much more complicated. You struggle with the tires and the temperatures increase. So you have to try to start better, be in front and have a bit cleaner air”.
What is the real position of this Honda?
“From what I can see, Ducati has remained where it was last year and perhaps they cannot go further than this. Aprilia and Yamaha have improved, as have we, considering the significant increase in temperatures that we have found. I am of the opinion that in a short time we can improve further, but we do not know exactly by when. If updates were to arrive, I would say halfway through the season. For sure in a year you cannot reach the level of Ducati, but we can be with the other manufacturers fighting for second place”.
How much does the engine limit you?
“With the current engine we could be stronger and the Japanese know this well. We are making a good step forward and I am convinced that with the updates we will make a further improvement step. In the first sector alone we pick up 3 tenths”.
Did you imagine the Ducati 1-2-3?
“Absolutely! They were strong in the tests and that’s normal. I think there will be other Ducatis up front tomorrow”.
Mir: "with a lower temperature we would have done better"
On the other side of the box the glass is half full: Joan Mir finished the first race of the season in ninth position, proving to be the best Honda to cross the finish line in the Sprint on Saturday. Despite the limitations and obstacles faced, the Spaniard is aware of what he did on the Buriram track.
The HRC rider is satisfied and fully aware of what he did over the course of the weekend.
“To tell the truth I think it was a tough Sprint race – he said – at the beginning I lost several positions in turn 1, but then I managed to recover, finishing in the group with Quartararo, Acosta and Binder. I couldn’t do any more, because I couldn’t brake hard and I lacked cornering speed, which are my strong points. Also, the tyres didn’t work with these temperatures and as a result, this affected my performance”.
What has changed compared to the tests?
“In the race simulation of the tests I was a second faster, but unfortunately the temperatures increased and our rivals didn’t feel it like us. So we’ll have to understand why”.
You spoke about the heat…
“In my opinion, with cooler temperatures our sensations are better, but this is a bit of the character of our bike. We have to be able to work in hot conditions like today. In the end, however, we fought for the top ten, aware of the fact that this is not my real position and I could have done more in relation to what I did in the tests. The fact remains that today it was incredibly hot, in fact everything was very difficult. I don’t remember a race so hot and with these temperatures. Nevertheless, we changed some things on the bike, but unfortunately we weren’t able to make the step I needed”.
