Luca Marini winks at Valentino Rossi: “Maybe it’s more difficult at the Ranch.”

A great podium, greeted with a joke.

Luca Marini took third place at the Sprint Race in Argentina, finishing behind Marco Bezzecchi and ahead of Franco Morbidelli. A battery of riders who grew up in the battery of champions coached by Valentino Rossi. So much so that the brother of the ‘Doctor’ commented hotly to the microphones of ‘Sky Sport’: “Maybe at the Ranch is more difficult…. No, just kidding.”

“The race was very good – continued Marini, going into the merits of the Sprint Race -, I like to fight with Franco and find him back there in front. He was really strong today. Good to be there also with Bezzecchi, Bagnaia and all the others. I’m especially happy with the start I made. Because I knew that starting seventh, the first two corners would be crucial. Luckily then everything went well.”

“I am also happy to have made such a result after a weekend like Portimao, which was very difficult,” Marini added. Whose reflection then shifted to Ducati’s rivals: “Today then Morbidelli was flying, especially in the straights. Overtaking him was impossible, I only succeeded when his rear tire yield dropped. Yamaha seems to have solved its problems.”