Returning to Sachsenring after his violent fall at Suzuka in late May, while conducting a test in view of the 8 Hours, Luca Marini took advantage of the break to continue his recovery and catch his breath in the company of his family before the second part of the season.
"The vacation was a mix of work and rest, as it should be. Having to recover from a physical point of view, I focused mainly on that and, then, I was a dad. Angelina is growing very well, always learning something new, and soon she'll start walking. She's a lot of fun to watch. Will I put her on the motorcycle? No, she'll do what she wants," he said on the eve of the Austria round.
"Physically, I feel recovered. I went to Misano to ride on a CBR, and it went very well. Otherwise, I'm still not okay with my hip, so I can't train at the ranch, yet. Overall, I'm much better than in the previous two races in Germany and the Czech Republic, where I still had ended well. I'm just missing a little something because it takes time to recover from serious injuries but, between now and the end of the championship, I expect to be fine," he continued, optimistically.
During the period he wasn't racing, the very Japanese endurance race that the HRC rider was preparing for before the accident was held. The race rewarded Honda's Zarco-Takahashi duo. "I followed it closely, because I was very interested in it, and I congratulate Honda. They made the difference. Johann and Takumi were also very good, since they gave life to a very difficult test, which is to dispute it in two. Given the high temperatures, it's something really complex. Next year, I don't rule out being there myself. "
The next few weeks will be decisive for the future of the rider from the Marche region. "There have been some calls, but everything is already defined. You'll know soon," he revealed.
Then, when asked bluntly what his weight is, the 28-year-old replied:"Seventy kilos, like when I raced in the Moto2. Today, many are slimming down because it allows you to go faster. I remember when Pedrosa won in Misano because he was the only one able to ride soft tires. In my opinion, a minimum weight rule should be introduced, like in all other sports. We're the only ones that don't have it. Those who are short just need to train a little more to put on kilos, but those who are tall under a certain amount can't decrease."
Finally. on the stability control - the latest technical innovation on the plate wanted by Dorna - he said: "I tried it in a test, and I think it should be introduced calmly because it could be an extra variable and create complications if it's not okay, like what always happens with electronics. If it works perfectly, maybe it doesn't give you anything extra but, if you get something wrong, it can take away so much in terms of feeling and lap times. But I'm relaxed, because our technicians are the best in the paddock in this respect."