The Sepang test was like a treasure map for Honda, revealing promising leads but also frustrating dead ends. For Luca Marini, the quest for performance was more a test of patience than a celebration. Finishing 15th, 1,2 seconds behind leader Alex Marquez, Marini saw his teammates Joan Mir and especially Johann Zarco, still the marque's leader, shine with times much closer to the lead.
Luca marini was less enthusiastic than his teammates after the Sepang trialsThe Italian driver highlighted the progress made by Honda, but also expressed frustration with his bike's lack of performance.
MotoGP tests of Sepang revealed that Honda is still in the midst of a rebuilding phase, with mixed opinions among its drivers. While Joan mir (8e) and Johann zarco (7th) displayed more competitive performances, Luca Marini (15th) expressed his frustration at the lack of noticeable improvement.
Despite the many configurations tested, Marini believes that the gap with the competition remains significant. We tried a lot of things and luckily we had three days to do it. ", did he declare. “ We discarded some, we kept others that improved the package, but it's still not enough because we are far behind the others »
One of the key points of the tests was the evaluation of the new engine Honda, that Marini tried on the last day. It's getting a little better, but we're still a long way off. » His main concern remains the lack of power and top speed, which complicates overtaking in races. We have improved in braking and corner entry, but we lack engine and speed. These are key elements to have more potential, especially to overtake in the race. We suffer a lot in overtaking, then the temperature rises and we always have the same problems »
Luca Marini: “ we are in the same situation as last year »
Despite this, he acknowledges that the new power delivery is smoother and the connection with the accelerator is excellent, which is a positive point for future development.
Marini fears that the advances of Honda are not sufficient in the face of the progress of other manufacturers. He points the finger Yamaha , which not only maintained its lead, but also continued to progress, leaving Honda with even more ground to make up. They started from a higher level and took a step forward. We are starting from further away, so we need an extra step.. We are in the same situation as last year ».
Marini noted, however, that the 2025 Honda is easier to ride and allows for better pace management in races. In the race, you can maintain a good pace. » But qualifying remains a major challenge: « In qualifying, it's very difficult and there is a lot at stake »
With the final pre-season tests scheduled for Buriram from February 12 to 13, Honda will have one last chance to fine-tune its bike before the start of the championship. While Joan mir seems more optimistic about the developments of the RC213V, Luca marini remains cautious and waits to see if the work of the Japanese factory will bear fruit as soon as the season opens in Thailand.
MotoGP, Sepang J3 Test, Final: times
