The Ducati rider who is much more than just the brother of a MotoGP legend
Surname pressure is something many have had to deal with in their motorsport careers. And while Luca Marini doesn’t have that, his familial relation and the team he rides for in MotoGP have cast a brighter spotlight on his progress. But, as he has shown in 2022 – and as he reveals to Autosport – Marini is so much more than just the brother of a legend
He may not carry the Rossi surname, but it is a well-established fact at this point that Luca Marini is nine-time motorcycle grand prix world champion Valentino Rossi’s brother. And he rides for the VR46 Ducati team.
When the VR46 squad announced its intentions to step up to MotoGP in 2022, it was destined that Marini would bag one of the seats. But Marini has had to earn his place the hard way. His early Moto2 results were nothing spectacular, but that started to change in 2018 with the VR46 team when he scored his first grand prix victory.
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Lewis Duncan is Autosport's International Editor and primary motorcycle racing reporter. A motorsport fan from a young age, Lewis became interested in journalism when he won the star letter competition in the February 2012 issue of F1 Racing Magazine. A member of the Autosport Academy from 2017, Lewis became a freelance motorcycle racing correspondent for Autosport in 2019 before becoming a full-time staffer in 2020 as International Editor.
While MotoGP coverage is his priority, Lewis also covers World Superbikes and road racing across the Motorsport Network, and hosts the Tank Slappers Podcast. He has also occasionally commentated on 750 Motor Club meetings. Away from motorsport, Lewis is a keen record collector with a collection unashamedly largely featuring Iron Maiden and Rush and an avid guitar player.
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