Luca Marini 's 2024 season saw the Italian rider finish last-in-class. With just 24 points earned against championship winner Jorge Martin's 508, he only managed to do better than riders who participated sporadically as wild cards.
This sort of narrative is one that the rider from the Marche hopes to reverse as soon as possible, but while taking stock of the situation it does not surprise him one bit.
"When I arrived here many people told me that communicating with the Japanese is more difficult.
Try to explain yourself in a very clear and calm way. I tried to learn Japanese. I won't give up, but it's super difficult," he confided exclusively to Crashnet.
The calm approach certainly helped. "At the beginning, it was necessary to build confidence between us, but now they really trust me and I really appreciate this responsibility.
I try to give very precise feedback to them, also becaue what a rider feels on the bike is difficult sometimes to see on the data.
In any case, I really appreciate their culture, and their way of working. It's about trying to create a good connection, to also understand how they think.
Sometimes it is a bit different, so we try to be all on the same side," he declared.
In spite of poor or absent results, the 27-year-old, in MotoGP from 2021, feels he has reason to smile.
"I want to say that it's a really positive season for me. I could improve myself a lot and also my riding. I'm a better rider and person.
I expected to struggle a little bit less sincerely at the beginning of the season, and while it was tough, I never gave up and worked in a very good way with all my team and the Japanese engineers.
Now I have reached, for me, a good level. For sure the performance is still not enough, but we have to look at where we started and see all the jumps ahead we have made," he was looking at the glass half full.
There has been no shortage of obstacles, especially with regard to the engine, but for Marini, the critical issues he encountered did not bring him down.
"I think one of the most important things was to say calm and keep motivation high, just try to enjoy every situation even if the result was bad and always be focused on the target, to bring Honda back to the top.
I knew this will take time, but we've started to take a good direction now," he said.
While it is an individualistic sport, for the man from Urbino, teamwork is the key.
"Every time the Japanese bring us a new update, at my request, that works better also for the other riders, it gives me a lot of satisfaction.
Because we all have the same target. We must keep working hard like this and I'll keep trying to show my talents and potential, on and off the racetrack," he concluded.
