The Honda MotoGP outfit has finally announced that Luca Marini will join the marque on a two-year deal covering the 2024 and ’25 campaigns.
The Italian’s impending switch to the Japanese manufacturer for his fourth season in the premier class has been an open secret for the past couple of weeks, with Honda settling on Marini to replace the Gresini-bound Marc Marquez.
He will join 2020 MotoGP world champion Joan Mir on the RC213V, with Marini set to sample the machine for the first time at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in the post-season test on Tuesday.
“Honda Racing Corporation is pleased to announce the signing of Luca Marini for the 2024 and 2025 MotoGP World Championship seasons,” began Honda’s statement announcing Marini for 2024.
“The 26-year-old joined the premier class in 2021 after claiming six wins and 15 podiums in the Moto2 World Championship, finishing runner-up in 2020.
“Since joining the premier class, Marini has taken two Grand Prix podiums, two pole positions, and four Sprint podiums in 2023. He will join Joan Mir in the Factory Team on a two-year contract.”
Marini has completed all three of his seasons in MotoGP running Ducati machinery, the first with Avintia before the Spanish squad was purchased by half-brother Valentino Rossi and renamed VR46 ahead of the 2022 term.
He has shown steady improvement across his time in the premier class to date, Marini rising from 12th in the riders standings last year to eighth this year. He also scored his maiden series rostrums in the process, his best result coming in the Americas Grand Prix where he finished second. He added another podium finish by finishing third in the Qatar GP.
VR46 is set to announce Marini’s replacement, likely on-form Gresini refugee Fabio Di Gianantonio, prior to Tuesday’s test getting underway.
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