LUCA MARINI SAYS 2027 850CC RULES COULD EASE THE PHYSICAL BURDEN FOR RIDERS

Luca Marini believes MotoGP’s 2027 rule change will ease some of the physical strain that has defined the class in recent seasons—an outlook that will be welcomed by Marc Marquez’s rivals, and especially by Marquez himself as he continues to manage issues with his right arm.

Marini, speaking during Thursday media duties ahead of this weekend’s San Marino Grand Prix, was asked how demanding MotoGP has become. The factory Honda rider said the bikes have grown “really, really tough to ride physically” in the “last two or three years,” adding that riders “absolutely have to be in great shape.” In his view, when everything is going well—when the bike is easier to ride, it’s fast, and the rider can fight for wins—that’s when competitors can “dig deep” and find an extra level of physical and mental strength. Even then, he stressed that it remains a “very tough” challenge.

But Marini expects that to change with the 2027-spec 850cc machines. He pointed to a “stripped-back aero package” and a “slightly smaller volume of engine,” which he said should reduce the bikes’ weight. “I think next year will be a bit easier for everyone physically,” Marini said. He also cautioned that the shift won’t automatically make the sport safer or simpler: “I don’t know if it’ll be a good or a bad thing: it’ll simply be different, but this remains a dangerous sport; you can still get injured.” For Marini, the key remains the same regardless of the regulations—riders must keep working on themselves and their mindset, “trying every time to come back from an injury better than before.”

That theme of recovery and adaptation has been central to Marquez’s 2026 campaign. The reigning world champion has continued to deal with a lack of strength in his battered right arm, and he underwent surgery again after the Le Mans round. The problem, according to the reporting, involved a “rogue screw,” which has affected his overall control of the limb. Marquez has been candid about the consequences of that weakness, admitting that during certain moments at the British Grand Prix he had “no control over it” while riding his Ducati-branded MotoGP bike.

Marini also addressed the attention surrounding Marquez’s recent Instagram post following the Aragon Grand Prix weekend. The viral photo showed the extent of the surgeries on his right arm, and a source close to Marquez suggested the Ducati rider has “accepted” that questions about his arm will not go away. Marini said he appreciated the way Marquez “played his hand,” noting that “you can never really know what cards he’s actually holding.” He added that, in his view, “every MotoGP rider carries the scars of their injuries, both inside and out,” and that it comes down to the kind of communication each rider wants to have.

Despite the visible setbacks, Marini praised Marquez’s current form after his operation, saying: “Marc, however, in my opinion, is having a fantastic season and has really come back in great shape after his operation. So well done to him.”