Neil Hodgson makes Fabio Quartararo comparison as Diogo Moreira nears ‘£13m’ Honda MotoGP contract

Add as preferred source on Google

Neil Hodgson has issued his verdict on the rumours emerging in the paddock that Honda are signing Moto2 rider Diogo Moreira for LCR on a 2026 MotoGP contract.

The Japanese outfit are believed to have dipped into the intermediate class to find their new talent, as Somkiat Chantra has not impressed since stepping up from Moto2 with LCR for the 2025 MotoGP season. It is thought that Honda will run Chantra in World Superbikes in 2026.

Honda begrudgingly placed Chantra at LCR for the 2025 season after Ai Ogura rejected the satellite RC213V to join Trackhouse Aprilia instead. The 26-year-old has since struggled, and he only has one solitary point as test rider Aleix Espargaro let him through into P15 at Assen.

Chantra is now on borrowed time at LCR, with Honda closing in on a deal to sign Moreira on a multi-year factory MotoGP contract. The Brazilian is set to step up with the satellite Honda squad in 2026, before a factory bike could potentially become available for the 2027 season.

Neil Hodgson thinks Honda signing Diogo Moreira for LCR in 2026 is ‘great for everyone’

Yamaha have given up on their interest in signing Moreira, too, as the Iwata crew now believe he is signing for Honda. Reports have claimed that Honda gazumped Yamaha’s offer to sign Moreira, who became the first Brazilian to win a Moto2 race at the Dutch Grand Prix in June.

READ MORE: Everything to know about LCR from the MotoGP team’s riders to Honda ties

The move is still to be confirmed, but Hodgson feels Moreira joining Honda is “great” for the 21-year-old, the brand and LCR. While Hodgson backs Honda to pay Moreira €15m (£12.5m) over three seasons, the move echoes how Fabio Quartararo moved up from Moto2 in 2019.

Hodgson said on TNT Sports 2 (22/08, 09:01): “Moreira’s, potentially, if the rumours are to be believed, about to sign a three-year factory Honda MotoGP contract. The numbers will be big, and he’s won three Grands Prix in his career!

“He won one in Moto3 in 39 races, and he’s won two Moto2 races this year. So, he’s done 70 Grands Prix, won three, and he’s signed, I’m gonna say, it’ll be €5mill (£4.3m) a year. It’ll be potentially €15million a year. And, get ready, I think it’s a great signing for everyone.

“It’s a little bit like Fabio Quartararo, was very similar. If you think about his track record, and we all knew that Fabio was a super talent, it just didn’t quite work in the lower classes.

“He didn’t win as many races as he should have, really. But obviously, think of his first rookie [MotoGP] season, how impressive he was on the Yamaha.”

Many questioned Fabio Quartararo’s move to MotoGP, but he silenced those doubters

Quartararo arrived in the world championship paddock back in the 2015 Moto3 season with a big reputation. The Frenchman won two FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship titles back-to-back in 2013 and 2014, but was largely underwhelming in Moto3 and also in Moto2.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Fabio Quartararo from net worth to career stats

So, when Petronas Yamaha SRT signed Quartararo to debut in MotoGP in the 2019 season, it was met with widespread criticism. Many questioned the Frenchman’s promotion, as he had only won one of his 36 Moto2 Grands Prix and failed to score a single win in 31 Moto3 races.

But Quartararo quickly silenced his critics by scoring seven podiums and six pole positions in his rookie MotoGP term. He even took three Grand Prix wins in his second term. Quartararo also won the title in his third term after replacing Valentino Rossi in the works Yamaha team.

Honda will now hope Moreira can enjoy a similar trajectory if their expected deal to sign the Sao Paulo native to join LCR for the 2026 MotoGP season materialises. Moreira never won a Junior World Championship title and even finished both of his Moto3 seasons in only eighth.

Moreira further only sealed 13th in the 2024 Moto2 standings and took his maiden podium in the season-finale in Barcelona. But he has already taken four podiums in the 2025 Moto2 campaign ahead of the Hungarian GP, including winning the Dutch and Austrian Grands Prix.