{"id":253801,"date":"2025-10-31T18:57:07","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T18:57:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/253801\/"},"modified":"2025-10-31T18:57:07","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T18:57:07","slug":"luca-marini-suggests-renegotiating-motogps-qualifying-format","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/253801\/","title":{"rendered":"Luca Marini suggests \u2018renegotiating\u2019 MotoGP\u2019s qualifying format"},"content":{"rendered":"

Luca Marini believes MotoGP<\/a> should consider revising its current qualifying format, claiming the existing system places a \u201chuge handicap\u201d on riders who fail to reach Q2.<\/p>\n

Most places for the Q2 pole position shootout are determined by finishing inside the top ten in Friday afternoon Practice.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The remaining riders then compete in Qualifying 1 on Saturday morning for the last two Q2 transfer spots.<\/p>\n

Those who miss out start 13th or lower (in Q1 order) with the same grid used for both the Sprint and the Grand Prix, effectively punishing a poor qualifying twice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the current level [of MotoGP], not making it into Q2 is a huge handicap,\u201d Marini<\/a> told GPone.com.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt would be nice to try to renegotiate the format with all teams and riders.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you get screwed by a crash or a yellow flag [cancelling your best lap], it\u2019s a shame to throw away the entire weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow there are two starts, and qualifying has become even more important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marini proposed a simple modification: Allowing more riders to progress from Q1 to Q2, as already happens in Moto2 and Moto3, where four riders advance.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would also be good to simply increase the number of riders who make it from Q1 to Q2, so if someone [is] in Q1 but has the pace to win the race, they can have more opportunities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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The smaller classes also allow 14 riders to receive direct Qualifying 2 access on a Friday afternoon, meaning a total of 18 riders fighting for pole position rather than the 12 seen in MotoGP.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, that\u2019s how it is now and we need to get better at being in the mix right from [Friday],” Marini continued.<\/p>\n

“The problem is that starting 13th [Marini\u2019s position at Sepang] requires a miracle at the first corner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some of the biggest comeback podiums of this season – all achieved by riders within Qualifying 2 – include Marco Bezzecchi\u2019s win from 10th at Silverstone, Francesco Bagnaia\u2019s second place from 11th in Qatar, Fabio di Giannantonio\u2019s 10th-to-2nd feat in Phillip Island and Enea Bastianini\u2019s 11th-to-3rd in the Brno Sprint.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Marini, currently 14th in the BMW Best Qualifier Award standings, stopped short of calling qualifying the RC213V\u2019s last real weakness.<\/p>\n

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But he admitted Honda’s <\/a>rivals can exploit the rear tyre better over one lap.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe others can extract more potential from the rear tyre for the first lap. They have more grip.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is something that we need to understand, because also Yamaha, that is always slower than us [in races], in qualifying is able to find good potential. And KTM that sometimes in races struggle a lot, but in qualifying is amazing… Ducati and Aprilia are the bikes with more balance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just need to do a step in the time attack so all the riders on a Honda can start more in front and then we can fight for the podium.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marini crashed while trying to pass Pol Espargaro for eighth place in the Malaysian Sprint but recovered to finish eighth in Sunday\u2019s Grand Prix.<\/p>\n

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