Johann Zarco is supported to ride the factory Honda, but other factors have been tilted to appear.
Zarco was Honda’s best rider from the LCR satellite team last year, continuing his overform in 2025.
He currently sits sixth in the MotoGP standings after three rounds and has launched his campaign with a Top 10 Grand Prix finish.
Honda’s eye-catching progression this season has sparked speculation about the possibility that factory seats may be coveted in 2026.
Joan Mir is on a contract, but the deal for teammate Luca Malini will expire at the end of this year.
Zarco is an obvious candidate for promotion, and KTM’s Pedro Acosta and WSBK champion Toprak Razgatlioglu are also linked.
Johann Zarco is suitable for Honda Motogpu promotion
Johann Zarko
TNT Sports’ Sylvain Guintoli said of Zarco:
“In the LCR, he gets the same treatment. He gets the same bike and has a Honda contract.
“So for him, it’s more of a matter of fame, and it doesn’t change much on the technical side.
“Honda might want to book that status for someone else to attract Acosta or Top Rack.
“Zarco is happy to play on the LCR.
“If you’re Lucio Cechinello, you have your sponsor and Zarco is on the bike, you don’t want to let him go.”
If manufacturers continue to improve suddenly, the opportunity for factory Honda in 2026 would be desirable.
“They turned things around,” Gintry said.
“It disappeared from the worst package no one wanted to touch. Ai Ogura, an up-and-coming Japanese rider, didn’t want to go bikes because he wasn’t sure if he was competitive or not.
“What they did is really impressive. It’s incredible.”
LCR boss Cecchinello has confirmed “Honda is the last word” about the team’s 2026 rider lineup.
He also emphasized that Zarco would need to change the garage, crew chief and team.
Cecchinello wants to keep Zarco, the oldest rider in the MotoGP, now 34 years old.