The Italian put the performance on a par with his fifth at the Sachsenring this year, gaining an extra position at the Red Bull Ring when Jorge Martin crashed out on the last 𝓀lap.

But Marini finished three-seconds closer to the top in Austria (+8.3s)ꦗ, despite having to fight his wﷺay from 13th on the grid compared to seventh in Germany.

It was the ‘disastrous’ qualifying that Marini feels prevented him from joining🥂 the podium battle, settling into ninth in the early stages before clawing his way forwards.

Marini overtook title contender Aleix Espargaro’s Aprilia for fifth with 8 la🐈ps remaining, before being gifted fourth by Martin’s turn one tumble.

“I put these two races [Austria and Sachsenring] in the same level. Just that today Jorge crashedꦜ so I could achieve a better position, butಞ it was a very similar race to the Sachsenring,” said Marini, who crossed the line half-a-second clear of Pramac Ducati's Johann Zarco.

“My pace was really strong. I could fight for the podium, but unfortunately, I was starti🐭ng from behind and this in MotoGP now is a disaster! Because if you want to r🌟ecover the gap then you destroy the tyres, especially the rear tyre, and at the end you struggle too much.

“I tried to recover the gap in braking, but everybody is braking so late, so it's not easy. But I had the same pace as all the other top riders an🐭d this makes me really happy.”

The VR46 rider, who had a revised crew as well as teethingꦓ problems with the GP22 to adapt to at the start of this season, is n꧃ow looking to the Misano test for the step froward he needs to claim a debut podium.

“My feeling is good. I think that we need to make some changes on the bike to be at 100%, but we are getting closer. I think we need to wait for the Misano test because in the normal GP we don't have time [to ꧙try things],” he said.

“Like this♈ weekend, was impossible,♋ because here we have a different [stiffer] tyre casing. Also, the electronic side was really complicated in this track, so we worked a lot on tyres and electronics and didn't have time to change something else on the bike.”

Less practice time in 2023

Th🍃ere will be even less time to work on bike set-up during MotoGP weekends in 20🥀23, when a new Sprint race will replace FP4 on a Saturday afternoon.

“I hope to be one of the guys that hasℱ a perfect setti♈ng from the beginning of the season and don't ask for nothing from the first race to the last!” Marini said.

“I think this can make the difference next year. Because you won't have time. You just focus on elect𝓰ronics and tyres and then the bike will stay the same.”

Another change ༒for next season is that final practice (F🌠P3) will be held in the morning and therefore not at the same time as the race (s).

“Then it is a shit practice for trying something!” Marini joked. “So yo🔜u just focus on don't crash and prepare for qualifying. That’s it.

“But, about the ওnew bikes [for 2023], I think nobody can make so big an evolution next year because now all the manufacturers are at a top level.

“▨Maybe [only] the aerodynamics side is something that [MotoGP engineers] can exp🀅lore a little bit more.”

Reminded of ♔Gigi Dall’Igna’s reputation f🅰or innovation, Marini quipped: “Gigi will bring something!”

Rookie team-mate Marco Bezzecchi, who took a podium finish at Ass🌟en on the GP21, finished in ninth place at the Red Bull Ring.