Marini's feeling after the Sepang Sprint is that of a wasted opportunity. Not so much because of the contact with Pol Espargaro and the crash on lap #8 - the first of the season, sooner or later it had to come - but rather for the bad qualifying that placed him 13th on the grid, eclipsing a much higher potential than that.
In this sense Luca has always been one of the riders most sensitive to the issue of the new format, which ends up rewarding the qualifying lap more than the race pace, having little regard for all those accidents, "yellow flags, crashes," that can make riders throw away an entire weekend. "It would be nice to discuss it again with teams and riders," he said, proposing an increase in the number of riders going through from Q1 to Q2. Indeed, even as a spectator, watching weekends already largely determined by Friday's second practice session is not exactly the best.
"A shame. The problem was yesterday, with the level now not getting through Q2 is a big handicap. It would be nice to try with all the teams and all the riders to rediscuss the format - proposed HRC's #10 rider - if you get screwed by a crash or a yellow flag it's bad to throw away the whole weekend. Now there are two starts and qualifying has become even more important. It would also be good to simply increase the number of riders who go from Q1 to Q2, so if one happens to be in Q1, but has the pace to win in the race, he can have more opportunities. However, that's the way it is now and we have to settle better to be in as early as pre-qualifying. The good thing is that compared to the February tests here the bike is much better, we are really on another level. With used tyres the pace this morning was great, we can be in a fight for the podium. The problem is that starting 13th it takes a miracle in the first corner."
Today you had your first crash of the year in MotoGP. You were also put under investigation for the contact with Espargaro.
"Yes, simply Pol went a little bit wide, I said to myself, 'go, it's the moment,' only I launched in a little bit too slow and he didn't have time to see me, he went right back inside his line where I was there, it can happen. When you start going fast it becomes more difficult to crash. However I have to say that in my opinion now in the race we riders are better, there are even fewer contacts at the first corner .... Just watch tomorrow and the big mess!" he joked.
However in the number of crashes the difference between Honda riders is very striking. Zarco and Mir top the list.
"Usually if the rider doesn't make mistakes, they don't crash. It means they make more mistakes," Marini concluded.