Honda riders’ roulette for the 2026 season

Written by Isha Reshmi Mohan, Edited by Madison Cooper

Luca Marini on his Honda HRC bike at the Qatar GP 2025 | Credit: Honda Racing Corporation

While the Hondas are falling far behind the Ducati's this season, they remain a hot topic due to the ongoing discussions about the rider’s seat for the 2026 season.

This speculation grew after Johann Zarco expressed interest in the factory seat, and Luca Marini’s contract was revealed to be ending next year. 

World Superbikes’ Toprak Razgatlıoğlu has also been heavily linked to the Honda seat, and following the Qatar Grand Prix, KTM’s Pedro Acosta was revealed as another option for Honda.

Johann Zarco

Currently in sixth in the rider’s standings, Zarco showed interest in the Honda Factory seat as early as last month with just two race weekends down. He initially showed interest back in 2024 while already being connected to the LCR team.

Despite Marquez's departure being confirmed, Zarco remained committed to the LCR team that he rides for now alongside rookie Somkiat Chantra.

While the team’s glory days are long gone, the Frenchman hopes to find a factory seat, and given his age, the Hondas are the likely option for him at the moment. 

Zarco on the Honda LCR bike | Credit: @Castrol via X

While he has been performing well enough, there has been a lot more young talent on the grid, which makes it harder to justify handing Zarco a seat with the other teams.

Zarco told GPOne: "The goal is to strengthen the bond so as to stay and create an opportunity for me to be promoted to the factory team."

Zarco has given himself a strong chance after helping Honda achieve their best performance in over a year, as seen at the Qatar GP, and he hopes to make his move for the 2026 season.

Toprak Razgatlioğlu

Razgatlıoğlu’s hunt for a MotoGP seat dates back to November last year, when Honda reportedly offered him a seat in WSBK, while he preferred one in MotoGP.

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu on the BMW bike at Assen | Credit: @BMWMotorradMoSp via X

Although they didn’t follow through with the offer for the 2025 season, discussions are still ongoing, with no concrete decisions made. Amid all these talks, Yamaha Pramac has also entered the picture, considering the possibility of signing the two-time WSBK champion.

Although not exactly a significant development, as of April 16th, Toprak’s team has stated that they’ve found a solution but can’t reveal it yet, as they want to “discuss and evaluate everything in detail.”

As expected, the BMW team hopes to retain the Turkish rider, but Razgatlıoğlu remains focused on his goal of riding in MotoGP.

According to Mat Oxley from Motorsport Magazine, if Toprak were to join for the 2027 season, he would have a head start by using Pirelli tyres in WSBK and testing the MotoGP bikes whenever possible.

Pedro Acosta

Acosta has been extremely vocal about KTM’S struggles, specifically with the tyres, and earlier this month he was caught up in rumours linking him to VR46.

Pedro Acosta on his KTM Factory bike | Credit: @KTM_racing via X

Valentino Rossi had also subtly acknowledged the rumour at the Qatar GP by mentioning that he was a “fan” of the youngster. Still, he hinted that the move might not go through, as the team is committed to the current riders, Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio, who are both associated with the VR46 Academy.

According to Oxley, Acosta’s KTM contract has a performance clause that could allow him to make a move, which explains Honda’s interest in buying out the Spaniard for a rumoured €30 million over three years.

There is still enough time and options for Honda to decide for the 2026 season, while Marini will have to decide on his next move, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.