Luca Marini: “It was complicated” to seek Valentino Rossi help as he exited VR46

Luca Marini has opened up on the difficulty of receiving Valentino Rossi’s advice after leaving VR46.

Marini made the decision to leave his brother Rossi’s team to become a factory rider for the first time this season, with Repsol Honda.

It resulted in a major change away from having a MotoGP legend in his corner.

Marini was asked how much support and advice he now receives from Rossi since joining a rival team.

“At the beginning it was a little bit complicated because he’s the owner, the boss, of the team,” Marini said.

“But now we are talking with each other. We text each other.

“I try to ask something from him. From outside, understand the situation with Honda is a little bit complicated so I focus more on my feelings, and doing a good job with my team.”

Marini said about the pressure and expectation of following in Rossi’s footsteps: “All of the comparisons with Vale, for all of the riders, are just a defeat. Vale was the GOAT of this sport.

“It’s great to be his brother! He’s a good guy.”

Now in his fourth season in the premier class, and following a career-best finish of eighth in the championship last year, Marini has found life at Honda tough.

He replaced Marc Marquez who quit the manufacturer that his success is synonymous with due to the underperforming bike.

Marini’s new teammate Joan Mir had been thrown off the Honda countless times last year, and had publicly contemplated retirement as a result.

Remarkably, it took Marini until the ninth round of this year to register his first point as a Honda rider.

Even that one point was a result of a tyre pressure penalty for Augusto Fernandez who finished ahead of him at the Sachsenring.

More frequently, Marini has been spotted riding at the back of the pack this year.

But, he has vowed to stay long-term until his once-mighty manufacturer is back on top of the sport.

“Yes we are growing a lot. Things are changing,” he insisted.

“It’s not easy because every manufacturer is pushing during the season, and everybody is growing a lot.

“But yes, I want to be part of this process. This project, for me, is super great. It gives me a lot of motivation.

“I want to win with Honda. Until this moment, I want to be here.”