Everything you need to know about the Honda MotoGP team including current riders and management

Add as preferred source on Google

Honda HRC use MotoGP as a school for their engineers yet are the most successful crew in premier class history with a raft of riders’, teams’ and manufacturers’ titles.

Championship triumphs have been a regular feat with Honda since the Japanese automotive giants first entered a team in the 500cc world championship. Spending some time outside of the premier class also proved to Honda the importance of what became MotoGP from 2002.

Honda briefly pulled the plug on the brand’s programme for premier class motorcycle racing in response to the team’s immediate successes. But leaving the world championship behind saw the automotive industry start to leave Honda behind in the advancement of technology.

Accepting that Honda required what became MotoGP to ensure the brand’s engineers were on the cutting edge of motorcycle development, the factory Honda team have often moved the needle for success. Their frequent triumphs have also gone outside of the premier class.

Few motorcycle brands can hold a candle to what Honda have achieved on two wheels with dominant spells throughout their history in the premier class. Their NS500 and NSR500 two-stroke bikes saw Honda dominate from 1983 to 2001 before leading into the four-stroke era.

Honda hit the ground running following the premier class rebranding to MotoGP in 2002, as Valentino Rossi led the factory crew to riders’, teams’ and manufacturers’ glory. The RC211V continued to lead the way until 2006, and it even enjoyed success in its final season in 2011.

Yet after Honda had brief success with the RC212V in 2012, Marc Marquez riding an RC213V then rewrote what dominance meant from 2013 to 2019. Honda promoted the Spaniard to MotoGP in their factory rider line-up and saw him win six riders’ titles in just seven seasons.

So, with that in mind, MotoGP News takes a look at everything that you need to know about the Honda HRC MotoGP team from the Japanese brand’s current riders to the management.

Honda MotoGP team name

The factory Honda team currently operate in MotoGP as Honda HRC Castrol after signing a multi-year title sponsorship deal with the British oil brand to replace Spanish energy giants Repsol effective from the 2025 season. Repsol had been Honda’s title sponsor for 30 years.

Honda and Repsol were synonymous with the Spanish brand lending its name and colours to the MotoGP team during dominant runs for Mick Doohan and Marc Marquez. Castrol is now lending its name and colours to Honda, along with serving as a technical partner from 2025.

“Castrol has a strong legacy in motorsport and we are thrilled to partner with Honda for the new Honda HRC Castrol motorcycle racing team,” said Castrol’s chief market officer Sandeep Sangwan after confirmation of the deal in February 2025.

“As a brand that values superior performance and technical innovation, we see a natural alignment with Honda. This partnership is a great opportunity for Castrol to connect even more closely with motorcycle racing fans and bike enthusiasts.”

Honda MotoGP founding year

Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) first entered the premier class of motorcycle racing when it debuted a factory team in the 1966 500cc world championship. Yet the Honda company had already raced on the world stage as the brand first entered the Isle of Man 125cc TT in 1959.

The 1966 season also saw Honda make history as the first manufacturer in the history of the world championship to win all five of the series’ classes at the time. Riders with Honda bikes also won the 350cc, 250cc, 125cc and 50cc class championships as well as 500cc in 1966.

Despite Honda also going on to see vast success in the 500cc world championship era and the MotoGP era since 2002, the brand did not enter the premier class from 1968 until 1978. HRC believed that the brand’s target was met after Honda’s dominance of the sport in 1966.

Instead of racing, Honda aimed to put its resources into developing mass-production bikes. But Honda also reduced its motorcycle development personnel by two-thirds, which played a vital role in its basic motorcycle technologies also remaining unchanged from the 1960s.

Honda accepted that its withdrawal from racing played a major role in its stagnation. So, as fears of a crisis grew larger at HRC’s Asaka R&D Centre that Honda may get left behind rival manufacturers, HRC revived its world championship interests as a school for its engineers.

Honda MotoGP current riders

Honda HRC currently employ Joan Mir and Luca Marini as the factory team’s two full-time MotoGP race riders. Mir joined Honda in 2023 after Suzuki, with whom the Spaniard won the 2020 riders’ title, withdrew from MotoGP. Marini signed for Honda from VR46 in 2024.

Honda current MotoGP team manager and leadership hierarchy

The Honda HRC MotoGP team leadership hierarchy currently features three key figures with Taichi Honda holding the role of general manager since 2024 and Mikihiko Kawase acting as the technical manager since 2024, plus Alberto Puig acting as the team manager since 2018.

Honda are a MotoGP constructor

The MotoGP field currently features five manufacturer teams, of which Honda HRC are one. As well as operating a works team, Honda supply two full factory-specification bikes to their satellite crew, LCR Team. Additionally, Honda are a title sponsor of LCR – making LCR Honda.

Which bike does Honda run in the 2025 MotoGP season?

Honda HRC will continue to run their RC213V bike in the 2025 MotoGP season, marking the 14th year it has competed after debuting the machine in 2012. The RC213V packs a 1,000cc Liquid-cooled 90° V4 engine, and the bike also features an aluminium frame plus swing arm.

Honda MotoGP team lineage

The lineage of the factory Honda HRC MotoGP team has only ever run through the Japanese automotive giant. The brand has regularly utilised the premier class of motorcycle racing for the development of Honda’s road bikes, while developing future engineers for the company.

Honda MotoGP riders’ championships

Honda are the most successful team in 500cc/MotoGP history with the factory team taking 19 riders’ championship titles to date. Eddie Lawson and Valentino Rossi also won the 1989 and 2001 500cc titles aboard works Honda bikes but whilst riding with independent teams.

American icon Freddie Spencer became the first Honda pilot to win the 500cc riders’ title in the 1983 season. Mick Doohan later led a dominant Honda spell, with the Australian taking five riders’ titles on the spin from 1994 to 1998 – no rider has won more in a row for Honda.

1983 500cc: Freddie Spencer (144 points)

1985 500cc: Freddie Spencer (141 points)

1987 500cc: Wayne Gardner (178 points)

1994 500cc: Mick Doohan (317 points)

1995 500cc: Mick Doohan (248 points)

1996 500cc: Mick Doohan (309 points)

1997 500cc: Mick Doohan (340 points)

1998 500cc: Mick Doohan (260 points)

1999 500cc: Alex Criville (267 points)

2002 MotoGP: Valentino Rossi (355 points)

2003 MotoGP: Valentino Rossi (357 points)

2006 MotoGP: Nicky Hayden (252 points)

2011 MotoGP: Casey Stoner (350 points)

2013 MotoGP: Marc Marquez (334 points)

2014 MotoGP: Marc Marquez (362 points)

2016 MotoGP: Marc Marquez (298 points)

2017 MotoGP: Marc Marquez (298 points)

2018 MotoGP: Marc Marquez (321 points)

2019 MotoGP: Marc Marquez (420 points)

Honda MotoGP teams’ championships

No crew in MotoGP history has yet won more teams’ championships than Honda so far with the Japanese brand scooping 10 premier class titles to date. Honda even lifted the inaugural teams’ championship in 2002 as MotoGP started rewarding the highest points-scoring crew.

The 2011 MotoGP season also saw Honda win the teams’ championship after fielding three bikes over the year. Dani Pedrosa joined full-time riders Casey Stoner and Andrea Dovizioso at 15 of the 18 races. So, just Honda’s best and third-placed riders’ points counted that year.

2002 MotoGP – 564 points: Valentino Rossi (355 points) and Tohru Ukawa (209 points)

2003 MotoGP – 487 points: Valentino Rossi (357 points) and Nicky Hayden (130 points)

2006 MotoGP – 467 points: Nicky Hayden (252 points) and Dani Pedrosa (215 points)

2011 MotoGP – 528 points: Casey Stoner (350 points), Andrea Dovizioso (228 points) and Dani Pedrosa (219 points).

2012 MotoGP – 603 points: Dani Pedrosa (332 points), Casey Stoner (254 points) and Jonathan Rea (17 points)

2013 MotoGP – 634 points: Marc Marquez (334 points) and Dani Pedrosa (300 points)

2014 MotoGP – 608 points: Marc Marquez (362 points) and Dani Pedrosa (246 points)

2017 MotoGP – 508 points: Marc Marquez (298 points) and Dani Pedrosa (210 points)

2018 MotoGP – 451 points: Marc Marquez (321 points) and Dani Pedrosa (117 points)

2019 MotoGP – 458 points: Marc Marquez (420 points), Jorge Lorenzo (28 points) and Stefan Bradl (10 points)

Honda MotoGP constructors’ championships

Honda are by far the most successful team ever in the history of the 500cc/MotoGP class for constructors’ championships with 25 titles to date. Their 25th constructors’ championship in 2019 also marked Honda’s 70th over all levels, having regularly dominated Grand Prix racing.

1966 500cc: Honda teams – Honda HRC

1983 500cc: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Honda Switzerland, Honda Britain, Honda Italia, Team Johnson Elf, Stichting Nederlands

1984 500cc: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Honda Britain, Honda Total, RM Promotions Inc, David Attwood, Team Elf/Chevallier Johnson, Romer Racing Team, Olymp-Hemden Racing, RG500, Bill Smith Racing

1985 500cc: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Honda Britain, Team Honda Benelux-Elf, Team Elf c/o ROC, Knight, Racing Team Katayama, Zwafink + Wilbers Racing, SDC Builders, Team Italy, Michael Baldwin Racing, Kreepy Krauly Racing Team, DAF Trucks, Stichting Nederlands

1989 500cc: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Team HRC, Kanemoto Honda, Team Elf Honda/ROC, HB Honda Gallina Team, Cabin Racing Team, HRK Motors, Romer Racing Switzerland, Racing Team Katayama, Club Moto Cross Pozuelo

1992 500cc: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Kanemoto Honda, Team HRC, Campsa Honda Team, Japan An Team Blue Fox, Japan AM/PM Racing

1994 500cc: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Ducados Honda Pons, Mister Donut Blue Fox

1995 500cc: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Team HRC, Fortuna Honda Pons, Kanemoto Honda, Team Pileri

1996 500cc: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Team HRC, Kanemoto Honda, Honda Pileri, Fortuna Honda Pons

1997 500cc – 375 points: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Honda Gresini, Movistar Honda Pons, France Tecmas Honda Elf, Soverex FP Racing, Rheos ELF FCC TSR, United Kingdom Team Millar MQP, Padgett’s

1998 500cc – 345 points: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Team Kanemoto, Movistar Honda Pons, Honda Gresini, Shell Advance Racing, France Tecmas Honda Elf, Dee Cee Jeans Racing Team, FCC TSR, Team Polini Inoxmacel, Team Zupin, Team Vimto Honda/Paul Bird, United Kingdom Team Millar Honda Britain

1999 500cc – 338 points: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Kanemoto Honda, Honda Racing, Movistar Honda Pons, Millar Honda, Tecmas Honda Elf, Team Vimto Honda, Raceline Malaysia, Technical Maxon TSR

2001 500cc – 367 points: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Nastro Azzurro, Honda Pons, Shell Advance Honda, Dee Cee Jeans Racing, By Queroseno Racing, Arie Molenaar Racing

2002 MotoGP – 390 points: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Team HRC, Honda Pons, Fortuna Honda Gresini, Pramac Honda, Kanemoto Racing

2003 MotoGP – 395 points: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Pramac Pons, Telefonica Movistar Honda, Pramac Honda

2004 MotoGP – 355 points: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Team HRC, Camel Honda, Telefonica Movistar Honda

2006 MotoGP – 360 points: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Fortuna Honda, LCR Honda, Konica Minolta Honda

2011 MotoGP – 405 points: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Team HRC, San Carlo Honda Gresini, LCR Honda

2012 MotoGP – 412 points: Honda teams – Honda HRC, San Carlo Honda Gresini, LCR Honda

2013 MotoGP – 389 points: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Go&Fun Honda Gresini, LCR Honda

2014 MotoGP – 409 points: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Go&Fun Honda Gresini, LCR Honda

2016 MotoGP – 369 points: Honda teams – Honda HRC, LCR Honda, Marc VDS

2017 MotoGP – 357 points: Honda teams – Honda HRC, LCR Honda, Marc VDS

2018 MotoGP – 375 points: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Team HRC, LCR Honda, Marc VDS

2019 MotoGP – 426 points: Honda teams – Honda HRC, Team HRC, LCR Honda

Honda factory base

Honda Racing Corporation bases the Japanese automotive giant’s two-wheeled motorsport interests out of HRC’s R&D design centre in Asaka, Saitama, Japan which it opened in 1973.

But the Honda MotoGP race team and their race test team are based in Barcelona, Spain. It has often created a disconnect between the Honda engineers in Japan and the Honda race team in Spain, with the two parties not always sharing the same page or even information.

Factory address

Honda HRC R&D: 1-4-1, Chuo, Wako-shi, Asaka, Saitama, Japan