Luca Marini claimed his first poi🌺nt of the MotoGP season at the ninth round, when another rider was hit with a tyre pressure penalty.

He is rooted to 23rd in the standings, t⭕he lowest of any full-time rider.

Dani Pedrosa, who raced once at Jerez where he only completed the sprint, has six points more than Mar♈ini.

His first year with Repsol Honda has not pannౠed out as he might have hoped.

"Compared to last yea💝r, seeing myself down in the standings is not easy,” he tol⛦d .

“But I am aware of the choice I made, of the process that will take to get back to the top. I can't🍃 say how long it will take.

“We are changing some things also on a people level, with Italian⭕ and European engineers who perhaps come from F1.

“I hope that at the e💦nd of the year we can be closer to the leaders, manage to do some Q2s, then we'll see next year."

'This bike a step back compared to Valencia'

Marini’s best 𓄧result on a Sunday this year came at the most recent round in Germany, where he finished 15th.

Last year, equipped with a𒐪 year-old Ducati in the VR46 team, he ach💞ieved two Sunday podiums.

His first year as a factor💫y rider has been a massiv﷽e contract.

"I always like to look on the bright side, we're no🍸t where we want to be but I've seen great push from 𝓰all the engineers working on the project," Marini said.

"At the beginning of the year we though♏t we were at a higher level, in reality this year's bike was a step back compared to last year's one I tested in the first test in Valencia.

“But things are changing, the path is the right one even if it will take 🌳some time.

“We hope to restart from Silverstone in a g༒ood condition, also because the last race was the best."

Honda (and Yamahꦐa) have benefitted most greatly from revised concessions rules💯 this year.

But those developmentaꦆl benefits have not yet translated into on-🍷track results.

Marini is caut🤪ious that🎃 the benefits might not even arrive next year.

"It is still too ear♈ly for Honda and Yama😼ha,” he said.

“The manufacturers progress a lot from one year to the next and we are𒈔 no longer in the era where Honda and Yamaha were the best and remained firm on the project they had because they were already winning.

“Now everyone brings 🦹something🦄 new every year and we have to be better than them."

Marini does, at least, have an additional home race t𓆉o look forward to.

The Kazakhstan MotoGP has been offici🃏ally replaced by the Emilia Romagna MotoGP, held at Misano.

It means Misano will host consecuti🥂ve round𝔉s, and a test, in September.

"I'm very happy for my♓ whole area, Emilia Romagna, having two weekends at home is fantastic, it will bring even more people,” he said.

But Marin🐭i is no longer entering with Valentino Rossi, his brother and the VR46 boss, so closely involved in his 💖career.

“🌱How much has Valentino helped me? Impossible to quantify,” he said.

“In the first years, with📖 me, as with everyone else, he always had t🐼he right word and helped me and the others to know the secrets of each track, or perhaps of the tyres that have a fundamental role.

“Now Vale has his own ♋championships, he competes in a lot of races and it's very difficult to see each other at home, we talk via message but we try to support each other, from home it's complicated.𓆏"