RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Luca Marini will leave Honda and race for Tech3 KTM in the 2027 and 2028 MotoGP seasons, it has been announced.
Unlike in the last two seasons, when Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales raced under direct KTM contracts, Tech3's new ownership structure led by Guenther Steiner is now responsible for negotiating and signing its own riders from 2027. However, despite paying for riders itself, it will still require approval from KTM, which supplies the team with bikes and technical support.
Marini was not originally on Tech3 and KTM's radar, but that changed when his agent made an initial approach to Steiner at the Italian GP. This was followed by another meeting with KTM motorsport boss Pit Beirer in June, where the Italian impressed the KTM and Tech3 management, sealing an agreement that has been made public today.
Enea Bastianini, Red Bull KTM Tech 3
Enea Bastianini, Red Bull KTM Tech 3
Marini – Valentino Rossi's half-brother and a member of the VR46 Riders Academy – entered the world championship in 2016, directly in the Moto2 class. He spent five seasons in the intermediate class, taking six wins and 15 podiums and finishing runner-up in his final year.
In 2021, he moved up to the premier class with Ducati's satellite team VR46, spending three seasons at the Italian squad. In his third year, he scored two podiums, finishing second in Austin and third in Qatar, which remains his two best results in MotoGP.
In 2024, Marini moved to the official Honda team, replacing none other than Marc Marquez, who went the other way to join Gresini Ducati. In these three years at HRC, Marini's best results have been fifth-place finishes at the 2025 and 2026 Hungarian rounds and the 2025 Indonesian GP.
With Marini's signing confirmed, the Tech3 team is still to reveal who will be the Italian's team-mate next season, although everything points to Australian rider Senna Agius getting the nod. The 21-year-old is currently competing in Moto2, where he sits third overall, 61.5 points behind championship leader Manu Gonzalez.
Gonzalez was the other option Tech3 was considering, but he appears to have been ruled out despite his impressive campaign.
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