MOTORGP: TECH3 KTM CONFIRM LUCA MARINI SIGNING FOR 2027 SEASON

 

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.

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.

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

BREAKING: MOTOGP LEGEND VALENTINO ROSSI HAS NAMED PERTAMINA ENDURO VR46 RIDER

The 2027 season's technical changes will mark a new era for MotoGP, with a reduction in engine capacity from 1000cc to 850cc and a change in tire supplier from Michelin to Pirelli. Rossi views the 2026 season as a transitional phase, as all manufacturers begin focusing on 2027 motorcycle projects to pursue or maintain technical dominance.

Meanwhile, Valentino Rossi has confirmed that he has already named the rider who will defend the Pertamina Enduro VR46 team for the 2027 MotoGP season, although the rider's identity is still being kept secret.

On the other hand, despite rumors that VR46 would move to Aprilia, Rossi indicated that his team would remain with Ducati in 2027. He expressed full confidence in the development of Ducati's new 850cc bike.

#Valentinorossi #Pertaminaenduro #VR46 #Ducatiteam #MotoGP

- MotoGP World

VR46 STAR MAKES INTRIGUING COMPARISON AFTER DEBUT MOTOGP TEST

Celestino Vietti offered some interesting feedback on the VR46 MotoGP bike after the Valencia test

 

Celestino Vietti, VR46 Ducati, 2025 Valencia test
© Gold and Goose
 

VR46 Academy star Celestino Vietti says the Ducati MotoGP bike he tried on Tuesday at the Valencia test required a riding style “more or less similar” to Moto2.

The Italian was called up by the VR46 squad on Sunday night to stand in for Franco Morbidelli in Tuesday’s Valencia MotoGP test, after the latter injured his wrist in a bizarre startline crash.

Vietti completed 24 laps on the Desmosedici at a best time of 1m32.511s, which was 3.138s off the best pace and 1.314s behind 2026 MotoGP rookie Diogo Moreira.

Rookies always make note of the difference in power and braking performance on a MotoGP bike compared to what they are used to in Moto2.

However, Vietti noted that the braking zones for a MotoGP bike were the same as he used in Moto2, while the way of actually riding was very similar too.

“It was a really special day, a day I will never forget,” he said.

“The bike is impressively fast on the straights, but also the power of the brakes to stop the bike is really impressive.

“You brake like Moto2, but a lot, lot faster.

“So, it was really a special day. I want to say thanks to everybody: Ducati, VR46, and my team in Moto2. I’m so sorry for Franco, who had to miss the test.

“It’s really physical, especially the braking, because you arrive really fast, but the metres you stop the bike are more or less the same [as Moto2].

“The handling I was expecting it to be stiffer, but the bike is light and you can ride it in a really good way, more or less like Moto2.

“So, I didn’t do a lot of laps, so I feel good. Maybe if I did more laps I’d be more tired.”

He added: “Now the Moto2 with the Triumph engine, you have to pick it up, you have to do the drive, a lot of corner speed - a bit more than MotoGP, but it’s something similar.

“So, more or less, the riding style is similar.”

Next year will be the 24-year-old’s sixth season in Moto2, with his performances so far not doing enough to earn a promotion to the premier class.

Asked if he felt this test would boost his immediate MotoGP hopes, he replied: “I don’t think so.

“It’s a present from the team; I really appreciate it.

“Maybe it’s more an extra motivation for me to try to do well in Moto2 and try to have the opportunity to ride it more.”

 - Peter McLaren

ANOTHER PAINFUL MARQUEZ FAA

A second painful fall of the day for Marc Marquez rounded off a twice red-flagged and incredibly crash-strewn second Assen MotoGP practice session.

Marquez had recovered from an initial fall to go fastest in the morning, and then while on a potential session-topping afternoon lap he lost his Ducati's front end going into the fast Ruskenhoek left-hander and slid at high speed across the gravel.

This is what happened at Turn 7! @marcmarquez93 😱#DutchGP 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/XAAl1uxwko

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) June 27, 2025

He initially stood up before immediately crouching back down in the gravel trap, seemingly in pain in his groin area, and needing assistance away from the scene - though he was walking unaided, if somewhat gingerly, when he got back to the Ducati pit. From there he headed to the medical centre for a check-up.

Advancing to Q2: Quartararo, A Marquez, Acosta, Bezzecchi, Bagnaia, M Marquez, Di Giannantonio, Vinales, Morbidelli, Zarco

Will contest Q1: Fernandez, Aldeguer, Rins, Oliveira, Bastianini, Miller, Mir, Binder, Savadori, Ogura, Chantra, Espargaro

That was one of nine high-speed crashes during the session, as rider after rider appeared to misjudge the grip available from the front tyre in particular.

Six of the crashes happened in the first seven minutes of the session.

Alex Marquez started the run of falls and was quickly followed by Gresini Ducati team-mate Fermin Aldeguer, LCR Honda's Johann Zarco, VR46 Ducati's Franco Morbidelli, Tech3 KTM rider Enea Bastianini and Honda's stand-in rider Aleix Espargaro.

The Aldeguer, Zarco and Morbidelli shunts happened virtually simultaneously, all at different parts of the track, with Morbidelli's the most destructive as his Ducati tumbled end over end across the grass without him.

None of those caused a red flag, but Ai Ogura and Lorenzo Savadori's later crashes both did.

Ogura had a ferocious highside into the Duikersloot right-hander in which his Trackhouse Aprilia burst into flames as it bounced across the asphalt. Savadori's Stekkenwal shunt ended with his wrecked Aprilia sat in the middle of the circuit. Both riders appeared unhurt.

Between stoppages and yellow flags, Fabio Quartararo popped in with the fastest time at the end of a session in which all five manufacturers got a bike directly into Q2.

Quartararo's 1m31.156s for Yamaha was 0.102s clear of Alex Marquez, with Pedro Acosta jumping to third for KTM late on and Assen specialist Marco Bezzecchi's Aprilia fastest for a spell before ending up fourth.

Marc Marquez held on for sixth despite his fall, just behind Ducati team-mate Pecco Bagnaia.

Fabio Di Giannantonio, Maverick Vinales, Morbidelli and Zarco completed the automatic Q2 pack.

Raul Fernandez was bumped down to 11th in the final seconds, while Alex Rins looked like he might get his Yamaha straight through to Q2 via a massive tow from Bagnaia before being edged down the order.

- Matt Beer

DUCATI DOMINATES THAI MOTIGP WITH MARC MARQUEZ LEADING A PODIUM SWEEP

Apr 12, 2024; Austin, TX, USA; Enea Bastianini (23) of Italy and Ducati Lenovo Team during practice for the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Ducati asserted its dominance at the 2025 Thai MotoGP with a commanding performance led by Marc Marquez, who completed a flawless weekend by securing pole position, the sprint race victory, and his first grand prix win as a factory Ducati rider. His brother Alex Marquez and reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia completed an all-Ducati podium in the same order, mirroring Saturday’s sprint results.

Marc led the race until Lap 7, when he was overtaken by Alex on Gresini's GP24 machine. However, Marc regained the lead on Lap 23 and created a considerable gap of 1.732 seconds. Although it initially seemed like a mechanical issue had slowed Marc, he quickly regained pace, settling in behind his brother, which appeared to be a strategic move to manage tire pressures. As the race neared its conclusion, Alex struggled with rear grip on the GP24, offering Marc the perfect opportunity to secure victory.

Alex kicked off his 2025 season on a high note with back-to-back runner-up finishes for Gresini at Buriram, while Bagnaia closed the gap mid-race but ultimately settled for third, finishing 0.666s behind. Franco Morbidelli secured fourth for VR46 Ducati, falling three seconds behind the podium battle after briefly challenging Bagnaia for third.

Trackhouse Racing rookie Ai Ogura finished fifth ahead of factory Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi, who trailed by over seven seconds in sixth. Johann Zarco was on the top Honda in seventh, followed by KTM’s Brad Binder, Tech3’s Enea Bastianini, and VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio completing the top ten at the Thai MotoGP.

Marc has been regarded as the favorite for the 2025 season after earning his factory Ducati promotion following a strong campaign with Gresini last year. Paired with Bagnaia, the two multi-time world champions have been identified by TNT Sports MotoGP presenter Neil Hodgson as key contenders set to push each other in the fight for the title. Motorsports On SI reported:

“I think they’re both so talented.

“Obviously Marc’s [Marquez] got more world titles, but I feel like Pecco [Francesco Bagnaia] is still improving, still learning, and he’s an absolute machine.

“You write Pecco Bagnaia off at your peril, don’t you? Quite often on a race weekend, he’ll have a really average Friday, even an average Saturday, and he’ll bounce back and win the Grand Prix on Sunday.

“So, I can see it going on and on.

“I think both riders will push each other extremely hard, obviously they share the data so they can copy each other’s homework. So, I think they’ll both push each other.

“I think we’re going to have a season very similar to last year, where you’ve got two riders pushing each other.

“There’ll be lots of mistakes as well, I think there’ll be crashes, I think there’ll be collisions between them, I do, I really do, which is probably not a big statement because we’ve seen it in the past.”

- Saajan Jogia