2023-11-16 15:20:13
Rossi’s brother Luca Marini is regarding to switch to the Repsol Honda factory team, but the Mooney VR46 Ducati rider was also careful not to make a clear commitment on Thursday before the Qatar GP.
Last weekend it emerged in Sepang: Luca Marini will most likely succeed six-time MotoGP champion Marc Márquez at Repsol Honda. This was also a big topic on Thursday in the completely renovated paddock of the Losail International Circuit.
However, Marini himself did not have any news to announce: “The situation is the same as on Sunday following the race. So I can’t tell you anything because I don’t have anything more to say than what I’ve already said,” said the 26-year-old Italian in his press round. «It’s not an easy situation for me either. I know it’s even worse for your job, but also for me,” he added with a smile. “Because it’s difficult and it would be great if we had more time, but Valencia is already next week.”
So time is of the essence, because following the 2023 season finale (November 24th to 26th), the first winter test with a view to 2024 will take place at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia on Tuesday, November 28th.
“We will see. I’m waiting just like all of you,” emphasized Marini before the upcoming Qatar GP. “The best thing I can do now is just concentrate on this Grand Prix and achieve a great result.”
«The Ducati is very strong here, so I think it can be another good track for us. But it won’t be easy because everyone is in great shape. Jorge and Pecco are fighting for the title, they will definitely fight for victory here too. I also expect the KTM and Aprilia to work very well. Because they have resurfaced the route, the situation will be different compared to last year. FP1 will not be so crucial to recognize everyone’s potential, but the second training session will be very important,” said the Mooney VR46 driver, referring to the practice session on Friday evening (6 p.m. to 7 p.m. CET).
According to Luca Marini, the fact that his name has dominated the headlines in recent days in connection with the Márquez successor does not faze him. “That’s okay, it’s part of the job too.”
Being on the verge of leaving the family VR46 team, with which he competed in the Moto2 World Championship in 2018, is not a big headache for Valentino Rossi’s half-brother: “No, it’s not a strange situation, it’s over Completely normal in my opinion. There are changes in the teams every year. I just try to perform well and do my best. At the end of the day, that’s my job: to race, drive the bike as well as possible and work well with my team and engineers. And I think we’re going to show great things this season.”
Result MotoGP race, Sepang (12.11.):
1. Enea Bastianini, Ducati, 20 Rdn in 39:59.137 min (= 166.3 km/h)
2. Alex Márquez, Ducati, + 1,535 sec
3. Pecco Bagnaia, Ducati, +3,562
4. Jorge Martin, Ducati, +10,526
5. Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha, + 15,000
6. Marco Bezzecchi, Ducati, +16,946
7. Franco Morbidelli, Yamaha, +18.553
8. Jack Miller, KTM, + 19,204
9. Fabio Di Giannantonio, Ducati, +19,399
10. Luca Marini, Ducati, +19,740
11. Maverick Viñales, Aprilia, +21,189
12. Johann Zarco, Ducati, +23,598
13. Marc Márquez, Honda, +27,079
14. Augusto Fernández, KTM, + 28,940
15. Pol Espargaro, KTM, +29,849
16. Iker Lecuona, Honda, + 50,960
17. Alvaro Bautista, Ducati, + 53.564
18. Takaaki Nakagami, Honda, + 1:42,162 min
– Brad Binder, KTM, 9 laps back
– Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia, 12 laps back
– Raúl Fernández, Aprilia, 14 laps back
– Miguel Oliveira, Aprilia, 15 laps back
– Joan Mir, Honda, 16 laps back
Result MotoGP Sprint, Sepang (11.11):
1. Alex Márquez, Ducati, 10 Rdn in 19:58,713 min
2. Jorge Martin, Ducati, +1,589 sec
3. Pecco Bagnaia, Ducati, +3.034
4. Enea Bastianini, Ducati, +3,242
5. Brad Binder, KTM, +3,310
6. Jack Miller, KTM, +4,318
7. Marco Bezzecchi, Ducati, +5,307
8. Johann Zarco, Ducati, +5,501
9. Luca Marini, Ducati, +6.420
10. Maverick Viñales, Aprilia, +7,241
11. Franco Morbidelli, Yamaha, +8.775
12. Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia, +9.995
13. Fabio Di Giannantonio, Ducati, +10.067
14. Augusto Fernández, KTM, +10,643
15. Pol Espargaró, KTM, +11,005
16. Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha, +11,911
17. Raúl Fernández, Aprilia, +13,591
18. Miguel Oliveira, Aprilia, +15,058
19. Takaaki Nakagami, Honda, +16,015
20. Iker Lecuona, Honda, +23,484
21. Marc Márquez, Honda, +24,930
22. Alvaro Bautista, Ducati, +36.501
23. Joan Mir, Honda, +40,594
MotoGP World Championship standings following 35 of 39 races:
1. Bagnaia, 412 Punkte. 2. Martin 398. 3. Bezzecchi 323. 4. Binder 254. 5. Zarco 200. 6. Aleix Espargaró 198. 7. Viñales 175. 8. Marini 171. 9. Quartararo 156. 10. Miller 156. 11. Alex Márquez 149. 12. Di Giannantonio 100. 13. Morbidelli 93. 14. Marc Márquez 84. 15. Bastianini 76. 16. Oliveira 76. 17. Augusto Fernández 69. 18. Rins 54. 19. Nakagami 52. 20. Raúl Fernández 40 21. Pedrosa 32. 22. Mir 24. 23. Pol Espargaró 13. 24. Savadori 9. 25. Folger 9. 26. Bradl 8. 27. Pirro 5. 28. Petrucci 5. 29. Crutchlow 3.
Constructors’ World Championship:
1. Ducati, 626 points (world champion). 2. KTM 334. 3. Aprilia 292. 4. Yamaha 176. 5. Honda 169.
Team World Cup:
1. Prima Pramac Racing, 598 Punkte. 2. Ducati Lenovo Team 498. 3. Mooney VR46 Racing 494. 4. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 410. 5. Aprilia Racing 373. 6. Gresini Racing 249. 7. Monster Energy Yamaha 249. 8. CryptoDATA RNF 120. 9. LCR Honda 112. 10. Repsol Honda 108. 11. GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3, 91.
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