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| Luca Marini will swap red for orange in MotoGP next season |
Luca Marini will join Tech3 KTM for the 2027 MotoGP season after spending the last three years with Honda.
The Italian has played an integral role in Honda’s MotoGP project since he joined them in 2024, proving to be a valuable asset on the technical development of the RC213V, whilst being a trustworthy, consistent rider on the track.
Marini takes the spot vacated by Enea Bastianini, who confirmed earlier this week that he would be racing for Trackhouse Aprilia next year alongside Raul Fernandez.
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| Luca Marini onboard the Honda RC213V during the 2026 MotoGP season |
“Luca is a rider we have been watching closely, and we are very pleased to welcome him to Tech3 from 2027,” team CEO Guenther Steiner said. “He brings a huge amount of experience, but also the right mentality and approach for what we are building here.
“2027 will be a big reset for MotoGP, so having a rider who can contribute to our progress in this new era will be important.”
2027 will be Marini’s seventh season in the premier class. The 29-year-old spent the first half of his MotoGP career with Ducati power, first via an Esponsorama Ducati partnership with Valentino Rossi’s VR46 team, and then as a full VR46 Ducati rider once Rossi’s team made the move to the premier class on a full-scale basis.
Marini celebrated his maiden podium at the Circuit of the Americas in 2023, before going on to secure Sprint podiums later that year in Indonesia and Thailand. Marini also broke the lap record in Indonesia to take his first pole.
More success followed in 2023 when Marini secured pole position in Qatar and followed this up with a Sprint and GP podium at the Lusail International Circuit.
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| Advice from The Doctor and brother, Valentino Rossi for Luca Marini |
Given his success in 2023, it came as a surprise to many that Marini chose to depart not only Ducati, but his brother’s team in favour of the struggling factory Honda team.
Whilst there have been no podiums during his time with HRC, Marini’s results have continued to improve as the bike becomes more competitive.
“We are very happy to have Luca joining us from 2027,” Tech3 KTM team manager, Nicolas Goyon said. “He has already shown his ability to perform at the highest level, and his experience in MotoGP will be extremely valuable as we enter this new chapter.
“He has a strong understanding of what is required from both the rider and technical side, and we are confident that he will be an important part of our progress with KTM. We are looking forward to working with him and seeing what we can achieve together.”
Marini is expected to be joined inside the Tech3 KTM garage by current Moto2 frontrunner Senna Agius.
- Josh Close
