MARINI DETAILS SEVERE MUSCLE WEAKNESS THAT FORCED PHILLIP ISLAND WITHDRAWAL

Luca Marini says the virus that forced him to miss the Australian Grand Prix left him with an alarming loss of strength and difficulty moving. The Honda rider withdrew from the Phillip Island round, leaving the factory team without a rider on the grid, and is now preparing to return at the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang.

Describing his symptoms to reporters on Thursday, Marini said: “The sensations were very strange; I had never experienced anything like that.” He added that he had “no strength or power” in his muscles and struggled to move his hands, fingers and feet. “It was as if I had arthritis,” he said, explaining that even typing messages on his phone was difficult.

Marini does not yet know which virus caused the illness and is awaiting test results. So far, he said, the initial readings appear normal, and he is already feeling much better. “I’m waiting for the results of the tests they did here,” he said. “The initial parameters seem normal, and everything looks good. In fact, I’m already starting to feel much better.”

Honda is also set to welcome back Joan Mir, who has been cleared to race after missing the previous four rounds. The 2020 world champion has been absent since the San Marino Grand Prix because of a medical issue. At Sepang, he said extreme fatigue had caused problems with his vision. He did not explain how the fatigue developed, but acknowledged that the season had proved more difficult than he had anticipated.

Mir has a strong recent result at the Malaysian circuit: he finished third there last year, earning one of his two podiums. With both riders expected back, Honda could field its full factory line-up in Malaysia.