Luca Marini: “I’ve given my all for Honda, both as a rider and as a person!”

On the Wednesday before the Aragon Grand Prix, KTM Tech3 announced the signing of Luca Marini for the 2027 season. With the Italian on board, Günther Steiner’s team is aiming to take a step forward next year. This secures Marini’s immediate future in MotoGP.

After Honda unveiled new signings Fabio Quartararo and David Alonso for next season a few weeks ago, it became clear once and for all that Marini would have to look for a new team. The decision that both he and Joan Mir would have to leave HRC had, of course, been made much earlier.

“When I spoke to Honda and they told me their decision, I was a bit sad. But I understood and accepted it,” Valentino Rossi’s half-brother had to admit on Thursday in Aragon. He was also already looking ahead to next year, when he will take on a new challenge with KTM Tech3. “I’m fully motivated for the new project. I’m really looking forward to giving my all there too. I know exactly what I’ve done for Honda, both as a rider and as a person. We’ve put a great deal of work into everything, not just the motorbike. I’m very pleased with what we’ve achieved, and I’m enjoying working with such brilliant people in my pit. Everyone has taught me something and I’ve learnt a great deal. I want to carry on working like this this season and give it my all.”

Marini is known for being a very good development rider, thanks to his technical understanding and his work ethic. Does he expect to have the same role in the Tech3 team in 2027 as he did in the Honda works team? “We’ll see. Next year, however, we’ll be facing different circumstances – with all the rule changes and the new tyres. But I’m ready to give my best there too and reach my full potential as soon as possible,” the 29-year-old explained. “Perhaps it won’t be so easy at the start, because Ducati and Aprilia will be a bit ahead of the rest. The aim is to close the gap as quickly as possible.”

Luca Marini: “I was sad about Honda’s decision”

Was Marini always confident that there would be a place for him in MotoGP after 2026, or did he also look around outside the GP paddock? “I had various options. But it’s normal to have discussions and consider everything. You have to be prepared for any situation,” he explained. “As I said before, I was initially sad about Honda’s decision, but I accepted it and immediately looked ahead to find the best solution for myself. As a rider, I want to continue giving my best this season and next.”

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Marini also emphasised that Honda’s current situation is very different compared to 2024, when he joined HRC. “Completely different, in every respect,” he stressed. “It was like a revolution for the better. In my view, next year’s rule changes are a great pity, because we could have achieved much more in 2026 if the rules had stayed the same. The engineers would have made further improvements, continued to listen to my feedback and refined the bike even further. Unfortunately, all the effort is now being channelled into the new bike, which I do understand. In 2026, we’re also not achieving the results we’d expected and had been working towards over the last two years. There are just a few small things missing to make it even more enjoyable. We’ve got a really good vibe in the garage – the atmosphere is fantastic. But the big results are currently missing.”