A few years ago Repsol Honda was the absolute pinnacle of GP racing teams. Every new GP rider dreamed stary-eyed of one day joining and reaping the benefits on-track, in the wallet and with the cracking dolly birds. But over the past few years such reputation has crumbled faster than a crack-addict’s tooth.
And now, so bad was the prospect of being wedged into the factory Honda team, that their famed rider Marc Marquez was willing to pay millions in compensation to leave and ride a year-old, second-hand Ducati for free.
Given the prospect of ongoing orthopaedic surgery the number of top riders willing to jump into Marquez’s shoes was roughly zero. This then meant the once-mighty Honda were forced to take Ducati’s 8th best rider, Luca Marini, who for some reason had put his name forward. Luca, who got to the age of 12 and said “I have reached my final form”, made the shock move from the cosy safety of his brother’s team to the aforementioned Repsol Honda garage.
Marini is often cited as being one of the most intelligent riders on the grid (although when a sport boasts personnel like Jack Miller around it’s hardly a sparkling accolade) so why would he make such a move? Where is the intelligence in a mediocre rider on an amazing bike switching to the worst bike on the grid?
Find out here:
Money
Whoever first said ‘money doesn’t bring you happiness’ was clearly an idiot. They probably smelled odd too. Money, as we all know, can provide you with countless motorbikes, steaks and guitars along with a lifetime subscription to BabeStation. Where’s the unhappiness in that?
Luca won’t win the MotoGP championship whilst ever he has a hole in his arse. So, instead, why not make as much cash as possible?
If the Italian can manage to stay out of a wheelchair for the next few years he’ll be quids in and then be able to afford everything he’ll ever want along with the ongoing medical bills.
Marquez embarrassment
It’s often been speculated that the sheer brilliance of the Ducati MotoGP machine could be flattering some of their b-grade riders. These riders, who under normal circumstances wouldn’t be seen bothering the top ten, have been promoted into podium contenders due to their significant mechanical advantage. But it’s been hard to prove. Until now.
If Marquez rocks up next season and starts winning on the year-old Ducati then all the other rider’s performances will be instantly devalued. Fearing, or even knowing, this then a smart thinking Luca may have run away from the problem like an intellectual coward.
Honda fix
One optimistic thought process is that Marini might be hoping that Honda will once again return to winning ways. The evil Japanese Lawnmower manufacturer has more resources than any other team and countless test chimps at their disposal. Luca could be betting that it’s only a matter of time before these meat-wave testing tactics pay off and Honda, by the laws of probability, deliver to him a race winning bike before he runs out of bones to break?
This may seem probable. Honda have dominated in the past, why not again? The problem though is that HRC have often bought their way around the problem. Rossi, Stoner and Marquez all had amazing success on the Honda MotoGP bike but were, unlike Marini, already amazing riders. HRC didn’t necessarily build the best bike – they just put the best rider on it.
It’s no exaggeration to claim that Honda can’t build a competent chassis to save their beansprouts. That’s why in F1 and Indycar they only provide the engine. But there is a glimmer of hope – new concession-rules conveniently invented by Dorna a few weeks ago state that all rubbish Japanese teams are allowed more testing time so as not to embarrass themselves any further.
Uccio
As mentioned previously Marini, unlike every Australian, is known for his intelligence. So, probably, secretly can’t stand Uccio like the rest of us. And it’s easy to understand why. Whilst Marini’s putting in a series of disappointing laps on the track Uccio’s raiding the canteen of all the best bits leaving just the vegan and Polish food.
Not wanting to start a family feud with Valentino over his ‘special friends’ maybe Luca did a runner?
Beating his teammate
Poor Marini has never beaten his teammate. A few years ago he was so badly embarrassed by Enea Bastianini that the VR46 team were forced to kick Enea out on his ear and hire someone less experienced…
Luca’s teammate at Repsol Honda will be the broken carcass of Joan Mir. According to Wikipedia Mir was once world champion – we’re not sure that ever happened but what we do know has happened is that Joan has crashed out of every race this season – usually ending up in A&E. Maybe Marini sees this as a potential opportunity to put one over the Spaniard and proudly claim to have beaten the ‘Covid World Champion that no one ever remembers’?