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The day of testing in Valencia on 28 November saw the start of a new chapter in the career of Luca Marini, who joined Honda after three years in MotoGP with the VR46 team’s Ducati. A courageous decision made by the man from the Marche, called upon to replace a rider of Marc Marquez's calibre, riding what is considered by all to be the worst bike on the grid.
For this reason, not even the encouraging signs shown by Marini on his debut astride the RC213V were enough to convince Jorge Lorenzo, when asked by the Spanish newspaper AS regarding Luca's move to Honda. “From a sporting point of view, I think it is a mistake - admitted the five-time world champion - I believe that Honda's desperate situation has created a contractual and economic opportunity for Marini, who would probably have remained with Mooney VR46, which was difficult for him to reject".
It would be difficult to give up on a two-year agreement with the most famous brand in the paddock, but Lorenzo, finding himself in Marini's shoes, would have given: "more priority to having the best bike to show your potential and win a championship because, when you win it, your value as a rider will always be higher - he explained - Changing for money or for a challenge with a bike that, in general, is worse than the one you have is complicated. Many riders have been injured in this way."
The Majorcan rider knows this from experience, because his retirement from MotoGP at the end of 2019 was prompted by the numerous crashes he suffered in his debut season with Repsol Honda team colours, including the injury sustained in an accident at Assen, which forced him to miss the next three championship races.
“For me it's a mistake in terms of results. He will have difficulties, he will have many crashes" continued the Iberian. While admitting that "I could be wrong", the 36-year-old expressed serious doubts about Marini's adaptation to the RC213V and about the possibility that the ongoing development will lead Honda to quickly become a bike competitive enough to allow the Italian to win the World Championship.
“He is already 26 years old and it is not easy to imagine that the Honda could be the best bike in two or three years” observed Jorge, then looking at the difficulties that Luca will face riding the Japanese prototype: “The Ducati and the Honda are polar opposites in terms of confidence with the front wheel and I don't know how he will manage on that bike. He is a very tall rider and the Honda is one of the smallest bikes on the grid. They will have to make some important changes for Marini, who is almost 1.90 m tall. I myself, who am 1.72 m, felt very uncomfortable with my legs."
