Zarco turned down the ൲chance to remain at Ducati next season, albeit perhaps💞 changing teams from Pramac to Gresini, to accept a two-year offer at LCR Honda.

But while reigning champions Ducati have won eight of ten races so far this season, Honda has taken just one🎐 victory since 2021, with Alex Rins at COTA this year.

However, Marini thinks Honda, 💜which won seven of the nine riders’ titles from 2011 to 2019 will soon “come back stronger than ever.”

“I think Honda proposed a very g✨ood contract to [Zarco], and it's correct to accept that opportunity,” said VR46 rider Marini.

༒“And sure, Honda will come back. It's just one year of process, but Honda is a very strong manufacturer, and in two years, they will come back stronger than ever.”

Zarco’s decision 💙leaves a factory spec Desmosedici, alongside Jorge Martin, up for grabs in 2024.

Marini admitted he “would like a factory bike” but - like team-mate Marജco Bezzecchi - is expected to remain at his brother Valentino Rossi’s team, on a year-old machine.

Th♈e Italian was speaking after a fourth-place finish, 2.5s behind Bezzecchi, at the Red Bull Ring.

“I just have only one regret. At the start, on the exit of Turn 1, I lost the rear and nearly crashed with a highside," he🎀 said. “Jack and Alex overtook me, to overtake them was difficult and I lost a lot of time.

“If I could have stayed in third at the end of the first lap, it could be a different race. But this is racing, it's🌌 part of our job. It's just a little mistake, but that can change the result at the end of the race.

“But it'🐎s a really fantastic weekend, we worked really well, and after A﷽ssen and Silverstone, where we were struggling a lot, we found a good balance here so I hope that in Barcelona we can keep working like this and have a good speed also there.

“That will be more difficult, because sure that Aprilia there and KTM ෴maybe are stronger than us. But we will see.”

In ter🐬ms of what he still needs from the GP22, Marini ex🥃plained:

“A little bit of edge grip, and with this edge grip, the bi꧒ke turns better. Because I'm sliding a lot and [so] I struggle with the rear tyre, a little bit before the other riders.

“So I brake really hard, I'm strꦆong in braking every time, but in exit not so good, especially comparing the data with Bez. He can have a little bit grip on the edge and make the bike turn better, and pick up more than me.

“So we need to find a little bit more🧜 in this area.”

Marini will start the second half of the season just♕ five points behind Zarco, who is fifth in the world championship standings.