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Marini points to qualifying deficit as Honda's weekend hurdle
Luca Marini highlights the persistent qualifying struggles holding back his Sunday charges, pointing to teammate Joan Mir for inspiration.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-08-15 08:00:00.000 - 2 min read
Luca Marini has established himself as the leading Honda rider in the world championship standings, climbing to tenth overall through a series of strong Sunday recoveries. However, the Italian admits his weekend execution remains heavily compromised by poor qualifying performances, noting that starting deep down the order forces him into unnecessary battles.
While Marini has finished inside the top ten in five of the last seven grands prix, his average grid position sits down in 15th place. He has managed to crack the top ten in qualifying only twice throughout the current campaign, forcing him to rely on racecraft to salvage points on the Japanese manufacturer's machine.
Explaining the technical root of the issue, Marini pointed to a delicate balance with rear grip and machine stability. Attempts to extract single-lap performance make the RC213V increasingly nervous, causing excessive shaking on corner exits and triggering traction control cuts that ultimately destroy his time-attack potential.
Amid these ongoing single-lap limitations, Marini singled out garage neighbor Joan Mir for praise. Observing how his teammate manages to outperform him on Saturdays, Marini noted that Mir's ability to brake extremely hard and deep into corners allows him to make a decisive difference during qualifying sessions.
Looking ahead to the remainder of the season, Marini does not anticipate any major fundamental shifts in the bike's behavior as Honda winds down development on its current 1000cc machinery. With the core DNA of the RC213V remaining fixed, his focus rests entirely on unlocking more speed on Saturdays to make his Grand Prix Sundays more straightforward.