Luca Marini believes that Ducati’s dominance is ruining the championship with its overwhelming performance, yet he still sees potential for Honda to become the second-best team.

In 2024, Ducati has won all but one race, while Honda has struggled, often even failing to break into the top 10. Some progress has been made recently following a promising mid-season test in Misano, where Johann Zarco achieved Honda’s best result this season.

However, Honda’s improvements have been overshadowed by Yamaha, as Yamaha managed a sixth-place finish in Malaysia. Marini saw Ducati’s superiority firsthand at Sepang, where Franco Morbidelli and Marc Marquez, despite having had crashes, overtook him without a problem on their bikes.

Still, Marini remains optimistic that Honda, currently last in the standings, can still recover. Marini noted that issues faced by other manufacturers have created an opening for HRC to improve. “Franco and Marc crashed, but whenever a Ducati crashes and rejoins the race, you know they’ll pass you again because they’re incredibly fast,” he said.

“When they come, we’re just struggling everywhere, and they overtake you on the straight as if it’s nothing. They’re on another level. We have to raise our game and find a way to take something from them because they’re completely dominating the championship. We’ll try to make it happen.

“Yamaha has made good progress here and had an excellent weekend. It’s essential for us to push forward and improve as soon as possible because it’s achievable. Other manufacturers are struggling, and if we’re smart and strategic, we could become the second-strongest team in the championship if we make the right moves next year.”

Marini isn’t the only rider confident in Honda’s ability to return to the front. Aleix Espargaro, who is set to join Honda’s test team next year, believes that Honda could achieve its first victory within the next two seasons. Espargaro told Spanish newspaper AS, "When I announced my retirement, I had the privilege to choose my next step. Honda is undoubtedly the factory with the most potential in the championship, despite its current challenges.

"Remember this interview: Honda will win a Grand Prix within the next 24 months.”