Luca Marini is confident that Honda’s 2026 MotoGP prototype is already “better than the current bike”.
After Johann Zarco’s early wet win at Silverstone and the Frenchman’s podium, Honda’s results slumped in the middle of the season.
However, updates to the chassis, swingarm, engine and aero have made the RCV a regular contender for the top six since the summer break.
Marini and teammate Joan Mir achieved Honda’s best results in recent rounds, with the Italian finishing fourth in the Balaton Sprint and Mirni finishing on the podium at Motegi.
“The engine is always the most difficult part of the bike.”
The Honda cars also had impressive straight-line performance, with Mir setting the weekend’s top speed record at the last Indonesian GP.
“Power!” Marini said when asked about the latest Honda engines. “They did a very good job.
“Overall performance has improved, but it worked really well, especially since engine improvements are always the most difficult part of a bike, in my opinion.”
That’s because when you improve one part of an engine’s performance or characteristics, you usually lose others.
“They did a lot better this time…all else being the same, they performed a little bit better.”
Luca Marini, HRC, carbon fiber swingarm
The carbon fiber swingarm, on the other hand, is less defined, with Marini switched front and rear.
“Aluminum is better in some areas like gas rise, stand-up and drive area, but a little worse on (corner) entry,” he said.
However, Italians prefer composites when there is little difference in overall performance.
“We went with carbon because it’s lighter. Weight makes a big difference. We always try to make bikes very light…
“I’m a little taller and heavier than the other riders, so it’s really important for us in terms of tire and braking power management.”
Marini started the Indonesian MotoGP weekend fastest in FP1 and finished fifth in the Grand Prix in the midst of a closely contested podium battle.
Luca Marini
2026 Honda “Already better than current bikes”
Honda is now looking to carry its late-season momentum into 2026, with next year’s machines already undergoing testing with race riders.
“Next year’s bike will be even better,” Marini declared. “We develop each time with new ideas and some updates.
“We will try it again at the Valencia test, but I think it is already better than the current bike.”
One area where Honda is aiming to become a regular on the podium is by getting more energy from the tires during time attacks, allowing them to start higher up the grid.
“We need to find a better way to get more grip out of the rear tire and make better use of it, because at the moment this is the biggest problem that can arise while riding,” explained Marini.
Marini starts the final four rounds of the season in 13th place in the world championship, but is within 20 points of LCR’s Johann Zarco (10th place), with 31 points over the last nine rounds, 70 points ahead of the Frenchman.
Mir, ranked 15th overall, scored 45 points in the same period.