Johann Zarco has just made a sacrifice at Honda that could allow them to sign Jorge Martin

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Johann Zarco was the standout Honda rider in 2025 even before he won the French GP. But now, his stock in the MotoGP rider market has climbed significantly.

Zarco started his home race 11th on the grid but nailed his tyre call at a sodden Le Mans and stayed upright as several competitors succumbed to the conditions. When he took the lead, he began to build an overwhelming lead over Marc Marquez.

It was only the Frenchman’s second MotoGP win, following on from the 2023 Australian GP. But it surely ranks as one of the best rides the series has seen in recent years.

The win sees Zarco climb to sixth in the championship, making him the lead non-Ducati. His 72 points are almost double what Honda’s second-best rider, Luca Marini, has managed (37).

Due to turn 35 in July, Zarco is the oldest rider on the grid. But Marc and (potentially) Alex Marquez aside, he’s arguably been the standout performer this year.

Johann Zarco is ready to put aside factory dreams at Honda – on one condition

Before the French GP weekend, Zarco said he wanted to be Honda’s number one rider. He made clear that this entailed a step-up to the factory team.

However, The Race have spoken to MotoGP ‘paddock sources’ who say that the Frenchman is ultimately willing to remain at LCR. Crucially, he wants a two-year deal, which would keep him in the premier class until he’s 37.

Zarco would naturally expect to receive a current-spec bike in 2026 and ’27 as he has this year. Should he stay put alongside Somkiat Chantra, the door would be open for Jorge Martin to join the flagship team.

Martin has been heavily linked with Honda after activating an exit clause in his Aprilia contract. Alberto Puig is a big fan of Marini, but The Race believe he could now be sacrificed.

What Honda discovered about Pedro Acosta’s KTM contract before pursuing Jorge Martin

Before this week, Pedro Acosta looked like Honda’s top target. It may not be a coincidence that he shares a manager with Martin.

But while Martin can escape his Aprilia deal through his controversial performance-related release clause, Honda have apparently discovered that Acosta’s contract is ‘too tight’ to enable an ‘escape’.

There was talk that KTM had missed a deadline to ‘lock in’ Acosta, but they may be able to keep hold of him for another year. He’s also an option for Ducati satellite squad VR46.

Honda do have one concern about Martin that could stop them mounting a fully-fledged pursuit. They want to assess his condition when he returns to MotoGP racing and ensure his severe Qatar accident won’t have long-term repercussions.