Marini Stays with Honda in MotoGP
Italian rider Luca Marini will remain with the factory Honda HRC Castrol team and continue to compete for the squad in the 2026 season. His fellow Honda program rider, Frenchman Johann Zarco, has also confirmed his future by signing a new two-year contract with LCR Honda, which will extend through the inaugural season of the updated technical regulations in 2027. In doing so, both riders consolidate their positions within the Honda project, which is currently undergoing an important phase of restructuring and development.
In an interview, Marini emphasized: “I am delighted to continue working with Honda HRC. We held lengthy discussions about the future, and now I am fully focused on our common objective to help the team return to the front of the championship. For me, this contract is not just an agreement, but a significant challenge where I want to prove that Honda is once again capable of fighting for victories,” the official MotoGP website quotes him as saying.
Zarco also shared his thoughts: “I am very happy to remain with LCR for another two years. Major challenges lie ahead of us, especially with the new 2027 regulations approaching. We have already shown that we can win together, and now it is important to continue developing the bike so that we can consistently stay at the top.”
This season is proving significantly stronger for Marini compared to the previous one: on the Honda RC213V, he has already tripled his 2024 points tally after the opening 12 rounds. His highlights include a fourth place in the Saturday sprint and a fifth place in the main race at the Hungarian Grand Prix. These results underline his progress and bring renewed optimism to Honda supporters.
Zarco, for his part, has already delivered a victory at the French Grand Prix in Le Mans and a podium finish at Silverstone with LCR Honda. Furthermore, the Frenchman retains access to the factory-spec motorcycle and all Honda technical upgrades, reflecting both the trust placed in him by HRC and the strategic importance of his role within the project.
With Marini’s consistent progress and Zarco’s wealth of experience, Honda is aiming to strengthen its position in the field and capitalize on the forthcoming regulation changes as an opportunity to reclaim its status as one of the leading forces in MotoGP.
