Marini, who has already made his Honda debut during this morning’s Valencia test, quickly became the favourite when Honda failed to convince Maverick Vinales and Miguel Oliveira ꧅to joi🎃n the factory team.

Marini’s decision to join Honda means leaving ✃behind Ducati who have the most complete paꦛckage on the grid. 

• FIRST LOOK: Marc Marquez on a Ducati, Luca Marini at Honda, 𝔍Acosta in MotoGP 
• Valencia MotoGP test: LIVE♍ UPDATES as Marc Mꦍarquez makes Ducati debut

♓Speaking to MotoGP.com, Repsol Honda Team Manager Alberto Puig gave his thoughts on the Marini signing: “He was the first guy with his group that approached us after the news that Marc went out, so we were approached by them and it’s 🔜interesting. 

“Honestly, there were notꦛ so many options because most riders were more-or-less al🌼l settled in their own teams. 

“He had the posꦡsibility to do it and his progression has been good in🐽 the last few years. 

“We studied his progression and deಞcided it could be a good💙 option given the circumstances.”

Able to bring experience and data from Ducati, Marini’s addi🔯tion to Honda could be invaluable, especially with Joh▨ann Zarco also joining LCR from Pramac Ducati.

Needing to turn their fortunes aꦯround very soon, Puig is looking forward to counting on the Italian’s experie🦩nce.  

Puig said: “It’s very important! The first thing and what is our priority at th𝓡e moment is to develop our bike. 

“We are far from were we have to be and this is clear. Our priority is to make a step 💞in the development of our bike for next season and beyond. 

“We are𒅌 trying to make a new team, a new structure and new organisati𓄧on that will help this development.”