P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Alberto Puig says Luca Marini was one of the first riders to approach Repsol Honda over its vacant 2024 MotoGP seat.
Marini, after making his Honda debut during the Valencia test, became the favorite choice for the factory team when other riders could not be convinced to join. Although Ducati has the best package on the grid, Marini made the decision to leave them behind and join Honda. The Repsol Honda Team Manager, Alberto Puig, stated that Marini approached them first after the news of Marc’s departure and they found it interesting. They studied Marini’s progression and believed it could be a good option given the circumstances. Marini’s experience and data from Ducati could be invaluable to Honda, especially with Johann Zarco also joining from Pramac Ducati. Puig emphasized the importance of developing their bike and creating a new team and structure to help with this development.
