Marini leads Honda HRC Castrol on opening day in Buriram

The already non-stop action of 2025 continued at pace as Luca Marini and Joan Mir were reunited with their Honda RC213V machines for the last test of the year. Ending in sixth and 11th, both riders demonstrated the continued performance improvements brought by the team.

Just a few short days after wrapping up in Sepang, the Honda HRC Castrol team were back to work at the Buriram Test – two final days of on-track action before the 2025 MotoGP World Championship commences. Cool morning conditions quickly gave way to the intense heat classically associated with Thailand, a preview of what is to come when MotoGP returns to the same circuit in just under two weeks for the first race.

A satisfied Luca Marini ended the opening day of Buriram Test in sixth with a best lap of 1’29.928, improving on his Q1 time from the Thai GP last October. The Italian was able to consistently improve his reference time to remain inside the top ten throughout the day and carry on his morning speed. Having done a substantial amount of work in Sepang to refine the package for the year, Marini and his side of the Honda HRC Castrol garage were able to focus on improving the setting with an eye on the first race.

Having been the reference Honda for much of the previous test, Joan Mir continued to post strong and consistent lap times over the course of the day. Just a tenth back on his teammate, the #36 ended Wednesday in 11th place and with more important information ahead of the start of another season of racing around the world. Mir and his team approached the day with flexibility as they adapted to the demands of the day and revised their testing plan accordingly.

Thursday, February 13, marks the final day of the MotoGP pre-season – a last chance to prepare for the 22-race season before action begins. Then there will be just under two weeks until the start of the 2025 World Championship and MotoGP racing returns once again.