Luca Marini finished his first Moto2 world season in 23rd position, with 34 points on the clock. It was a very honest start since he finished only 3 points behind Xavi Virginie, “Rookie of the year”, and obtained a 6th place in Germany as his best result.
The objective for 2017 is now to set foot at least once on the podium for the one running under the colors of the Forward team alongside his compatriot Lorenzo Baldassarri, another rider from the VR46 Riders Academy.
TuttoMotoriWeb interviewed Valentino Rossi's brother.
What did the 2016 season teach you?
“The most important lesson I learned this year is the attention to detail and all the particularities, both regarding the bike and its tuning, but also regarding the physical, the mental, the diet … All.
Because in a category like Moto2, every little mistake you make could be a huge mistake. Because the bikes are almost all the same, the level is very high and it comes down to tenths and thousandths. This year, race after race, I learned more, I tried not to repeat the same mistakes, because you can't leave anything to chance and you have to work hard, not only in competitions, but also every day at home, because all drivers do it and not working takes you backwards. There must always be one step ahead of everyone if you want to achieve a result. »
Goals for 2017?
“Continue to fight for points in every race that I did at the end of 2016, then try to have some satisfaction throughout the season, maybe with a place in the top five or a podium, because that would be important and very pleasant. »
What will you improve?
“I am improving several aspects. First, I started to improve the starts, already last year. Because at the beginning of last year, I happened to lose places at the start. That's a mistake you can't make in Moto2, because even if you only lose one or two positions, it's difficult to recover afterwards. This is something I want to improve this season, because a lot of the race comes from the start. »
During training sessions at the Ranch, who is the toughest opponent?
“At the Ranch, we all have a lot of fun. Lately, when the 2016 championship was over, I spent a lot of time at the ranch. I tried to develop the bike, adapt my style to the ranch, because it's nice to get on the podium, although it doesn't count for much, but it's fun. Right now, in my opinion, the fastest are me, Vale, Balda, Franco, Pasini and Bulega. All six of us are constantly fighting for victory there. There is also Migno who is going quite hard. Pecco and Antonelli are at a slightly lower level than what we do, but sometimes they also produce very good results. The Ranch is great training, because in addition to hand-to-hand combat, you learn how to slide. During a race, the pressure is great and it looks like a world race, and the atmosphere is always special. »
What is the last piece of advice your brother, Valentino Rossi, gave you?
“During the 2016 season, Vale helped me a lot. Every time I started testing, I went to talk to him so he could give me some little tips and some secrets of the track. From the smallest detail to the biggest things. But even more important are the advice he gives me about life. I respect my brother a lot, not only as a pilot but also as a person, because he never hesitates when there is a need to help someone, to discuss various opinions, to give you some advice... he is always ready to help. I think it makes a difference with a person. »
