Marini won the chase to replace Marc Marquez, who has moved to Gresini Ducati, at Honda for the 2024 MotoGP season.

It is a high-profile move for Valentino Rossi’s brother who rode for VR46 last se🧸aso🧸n, but will now step up to a factory position.

“It was a shock after Marc announced his change,” Marini said in his first wo൲rds since joining Honda officially 𒁏on January 1, 2024.

“Me, my group, my manager t🧔ried to find a way to approach this new project, to improve together, to build a better bike with better performance.

“To come back to win racesꦕ, to ౠwin championships, this is our goal and our target.

“It will be a very satisfying moment…”

Marini explained why the Honda opportunity appealed: “First of all, it is the best in h🌟istory. The numbers and statistics speak for themselves.

“It is a particular moment now, but I think w🌃e have the power to come back very soon.

“I ♎will try to give all my energy to this project, and if we find the correct direction, we have the power to stay at the top for many years.”

Honda 🌊has struggled badly over the past few years, to the point where eight-time champion Marquez ♏gave up on the team who he became synonymous with.

Marini’s analytical and data-driven skills are seen as the perfect accompa✨niment for a Honda team who are looking for rejuvenation this year.

He will team with Joan Mir, and Marini has immediately set his s🎃ights upon edging his new teammate.

“I want to start with an open mind,” Marini said. “We need to understand our speed and our p𒉰🔯otential after the first test.

“We need to find our balance, find a way to directly beat my opponents, my teammates with the same m📖anufacturer 𓆉and the same bike. This is the first goal.

“Also, I want to look forward and find a way to get a podium with this bike,🃏 and to get a victory.

“I know it🍸 wil༺l be tough. But we need to slowly look ahead.”

He explained his first day meeting HRC staff: “It was amazing. It🌌 passed in a fa🌳st way.

“We will hav🌠e a lot of time in the winter, in the tests, in the season to speak with every member of the𒅌 team.

“It is a dream t﷽o work with these people, and also with the Japanese, I have a good feeling, I love the culture. We can have a good energy.”

Luca Marini via Instagram

"It's now official, the dream♑ come true. I will give everything"

— Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp)

Marini’s move to Honda was poignant not only because his brother Rossi once represented the brand, but also because Marini himself wore Honda leathers as a young up-and-comerღ.

“Destiny? I don’t know,” he said about the picture of himself wearing Honda colours from ♌many years ꧃ago. 

“I don’t remember why I had these leathers.

“I remember I was happy to have these colours. E𒐪very year in MotoGP history these colours were incredible, so it’s a big pleasure to wear it now.”