Marini to HRC and Aldeguer with Mooney VR46: and Diggia?

Many names have been proposed in recent weeks as possible substitutes for Marc Marquez at Repsol Honda, from Di Giannantonio to Zarco, Oliveira, Vinales, Aldeguer or even the dramatic return of Pol Espargaró. The list evaluated by Puig now also includes Luca Marini who, according to the latest rumours, is close to signing an agreement with the factory HRC team for 2024.

Marini to HRC would see Aldeguer move to Mooney VR46

Although Luca is happy with the Mooney VR46 team, a potential move to Honda would be a big career step for Valentino Rossi’s brother (racing for a glorious team like Repsol Honda, the most successful in the world championship) but also a leap into the dark, going from an ultra-competitive bike to one with which Marquez has to bend over backwards to see results. The opposite of what Marc Marquez is doing in fact, leaving Honda to ride the Gresini Ducati in 2024.

Although Sky’s Antonio Boselli has confirmed the agreement with HRC, Marini remained vague in the post-race interviews: “The situation is the same as yesterday. I’ll now have chance to talk to Valentino, my managers and everyone. I know nothing as yet, but I’m very pleased of course. I’m very happy with team Mooney and would like to score better results, which we can still do in Qatar and Valencia. It’s not an easy decision to make, it would be a dream and a real challenge. When you go to a team, you never think about the fact the bike previously belonged to another rider”.

If the Marini-HRC deal comes together, then this would leave a vacancy at Mooney VR46, alongside Marco Bezzecchi who, post-race, almost confirmed Luca’s departure: “I don’t know what it will be like without Luca as a team-mate. We get on and have been together for many years, although recently we see less of each other because he no longer trains with us and has changed his preparation. He’s ‘distanced’ himself a bit but we’ve known each other forever. I’m not overly interested, I hope to be fast either way.”

The team Mooney ride would be taken by young Spanish talent Fermin Aldeguer who, in recent weeks, has also been courted by Honda and Yamaha (with a long-term project), despite having a contract with Boscoscuro to compete in Moto2 again in 2024. A move to MotoGP would be a big step for Aldeguer, just 18 and with his whole career ahead of him. Making his debut aboard a competitive Ducati could allow him to demonstrate all that potential he’s been showing of late in Moto2.

Di Giannantonio ‘out in the cold’?

One man who risks being sidelined by these market negotiations is, unfortunately, Fabio Di Giannantonio, who would be left without a MotoGP ride for next season if the aforementioned riders were to sign. This, despite solid performances in recent races and a top ten finish in the long race in Malaysia.

His name had been linked to the Honda ride in recent weeks, but things changed once names like Marini and Aldeguer began to be mentioned. Diggia’s only hope of staying in MotoGP would be if Boscoscuro were to retain its contract with Aldeguer for 2024, allowing Fabio to take Marini’s place on the Mooney team.

Or, for lack of any other option, a possible move to Moto2 with Fantic that, having lost Vietti, still needs to find a rider to flank Spaniard Canet.