Image: Supplied.

Italian Luca Marini has finally been confirmed as the replacement for the outgoing Marc Marquez at the Repsol Honda Team, joining the outfit on a two-year deal ahead of the 2024 MotoGP World Championship.

Marini, 26, was runner-up in the 2020 Moto2 World Championship before making the step to the premier class the following year with the Mooney VR46 Racing Team.

He has continued progress across his stint in MotoGP, scoring multiple top-five finishes last year and two grand prix podiums (Qatar and COTA), plus four sprint rostrums (Argentina, Indonesia, Thailand and Qatar) on his way to P8 in the 2023 standings. He joins former world champion Joan Mir in the factory Honda outfit on a contract that spans through the 2025 season.

“Honda Racing Corporation is pleased to announce the signing of Luca Marini for the 2024 and 2025 MotoGP World Championship seasons,” a statement read.

Marini’s first outing with Honda is expected to be at the Valencia post-season test this Tuesday, where Marquez too is set to make his highly anticipated debut with Gresini Racing onboard Ducati machinery.