At the Misano Test Honda rolled out a new aero upgrade for their riders to try. Luca Marini believes that it is 'a step forward' for the Japanese manufacturer.

Luca Marini decided to sit out the San Marino Grand Prix on Sunday due to a high fever. The Italian rider was a doubt for the Misano Test, the day after the San Marino Grand Prix. However, Marini pulled through and managed to test for Repsol Honda.

Marini got his first taste of the 2025 RC213V and a new aerodynamic package he could run in 2024. Despite taking part in the test Marini admitted that he is still 'very sick'.

"I'm still very sick. I no longer have a fever, but I'm out of energy," Marini admitted to the media during the lunch break. "It's really hard, but I have to try some important elements for future development, so it is important to be here.

"I will try to do a few runs in the afternoon as well, then I will stop. The important thing is not if I am fit or not, but that I can at least feel the changes made to the bike. Whether it's fast or not, I want to try to understand the situation well and give the best feedback I can to engineers.

"Surely Mir and Zarco will do more laps than me and provide more information. I hope we will make the same comments and follow the same direction."

"From the outside, it looks little, but riding you can feel the difference" - Luca Marini

The obvious change to the Honda MotoGP machine is the new aero package that has appeared. This is something that Marini is very happy with even though he had only used it for around three hours at the time.

"The new aerodynamics is a step forward to be able to make the bike corner better and I liked it," Marini stated. "We have different specs, so we still have to figure out what is the best compromise but these are things we can also do during the sessions. From the outside, it looks little, but riding you can feel the difference so much. Even the fins on the tail, which look very small, make a lot of difference."

Marini went on to say how aerodynamics will be Honda's main area of upgrades until the rule changes in 2027. The Italian also believes that the current aero package is holding Honda back, so it is in desperate need of being changed.

"At least until 2027, a lot of manufacturers' development will be on aerodynamics, so we have to try to make them better than others to try to limit and solve our weaknesses, where we can with aerodynamics."

The Repsol Honda rider was then asked about whether we could see the new aero package in the 2024 season. This is something that Marini wants to happen, but he does not know when it could become available. Although he reckons Honda should homologate it immediately for the second Misano race.

"We are trying, although we don't know how many pieces we will have available," Marini said. "Maybe it will only be one per rider because it takes a while to produce the parts in Japan and we weren't sure if the fairing was perfect. In my opinion, we can safely homologate it for the next race."

"The best thing for me was the arrival of the engine we are using"

Honda is one of two manufacturers to have the maximum amount of concessions for 2024. This allowed the Japanese manufacturer to take part in private tests and provide multiple upgrades throughout the season. Marini was asked what update has been the best for Honda so far in the 2024 season:

"It is impossible to rank the upgrades, although the best thing for me was the arrival of the engine we are using now. In terms of performance, it can definitely give us a few tenths, but it's not enough. If we start from 1.7 seconds off it is hard to get under a second. If we look at it from that point of view, it's true. Although it had been that way with the engine as well.

"The fact is that with aerodynamics, you don't need any counterevidence, because from where we were before to now the difference can be felt so much. The rider can tell already from the exit lap if it's working, because you can feel it a lot. Especially on a fast circuit."

Finally, Marini was asked where the Ducati makes so much more time than the Honda. This is something that the Italian immediately pinpointed, due to his experience on the Ducati in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

"In the whole braking phase, especially because we have to slow down a lot in the first phase while they can be gentle on the brakes and brake the bike when they are in the corner. Then in the first moment they open the throttle and raise the bike, also because they have more grip and more horsepower."