In a MotoGP paddock often punctuated by spectacular exploits and spectacular crashes, Luca Marini forges his path with an almost disconcerting discretion. In 2025, the Italian rider neither won a Grand Prix nor reached the podium... but he achieved a rare feat: staying (almost) always on his wheels.
As his teammates and rivals fall one after another, Marini, he's holding his own. In 20 races this season, he's only crashed four times, a record for reliability in a category where the slightest mistake is costly. He's even the only 2025 MotoGP rider to have never deployed his airbag, a statistic as unusual as it is impressive.
For comparison :
- Johann Zarco: 26 falls
- Jack Miller: 22
- Joan Mir, Franco Morbidelli: 19
- Alex Marquez, Marco Bezzecchi: 18
- Pedro Acosta: 16
- Brad Binder, Enea Bastianini: 15
- Marc Marquez: 14
- Ai Ogura, Fermin Aldeguer: 13
- Fabio Quartararo: 12
- Raul Fernandez: 10
- Chantra, Bagnaia, Rins, Martin: 8
A striking contrast, especially since the motorcycle Marini, the RC213V, is known for its unpredictable character. And yet, he consistently brings the machine back to the pit, almost untouched.
Last year, this ultra-conservative strategy came at a high cost. With only 14 points at the end of the season, Marini finished last in the general classification, criticized for his lack of audacity. But his teammate Joan mir, more aggressive, did not perform much better... while falling four times more.
The message was clear: take risks with a Honda in crisis did not guarantee anything, except a place in the infirmary.
2025: Luca Marini progresses, Honda too
But in 2025, the scenario has changed. Thanks to an improved RC213V, Marini is no longer lagging at the bottom of the standings. He is 13th in the championship, ahead of his teammate Joan mir (15th) and only a stone's throw from Johann zarco (10th), despite a still measured style.
The fact that zarco – who multiplies the free figures – only three places in front of him says a lot about the complexity of the Honda, but also on the effectiveness of the methodical approach of Marini. A little less spectacular, but perhaps more intelligent.
Ironically, it is outside the MotoGP championship that Luca marini suffered his biggest fall of the year. During a training session for the Suzuka 8 Hours, he fell violently while riding a Honda Superbike. As a result, he missed three races due to injuries.
A hitch in a season that had been exemplary until then, but which does not call into question his reliability in MotoGP.
In a championship where aggression is often glorified, Luca marini shows that a clean, precise, and thoughtful style can be an equally formidable weapon. Sure, he doesn't win. But he finishes races, he scores points, and most importantly, he avoids injuries, a rare luxury in this 2025 season marked by numerous withdrawals (Jorge Martin, in particular, only competed in seven Grands Prix).
Without making any noise, Luca marini establishes himself as a beacon of stability in the surrounding chaos. He may not yet be the dream leader for Honda, but he is the one who keeps the house standing during the storm. In a MotoGP where the spotlight often falls on the most daring, the most reliable driver on the grid could well be the one who prepares for the future most calmly.
