Diogo Moreira has ‘tested the waters’ with rival MotoGP team after Honda stance changed

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Honda confirming that Somkiat Chantra will switch to World Superbikes for 2026 with their factory team was also expected to see Diogo Moreira move to MotoGP with LCR.

Chantra has failed to meet expectations in his rookie MotoGP season so far this year. He has scored six points through 13 rounds in the premier class, having also missed five rounds due to injury. Only Honda test rider Aleix Espargaro is below him in the standings, with no points.

So, Honda will move Chantra to World Superbikes for 2026 alongside British star Jake Dixon, who will make the switch from Moto2. But Honda are yet to announce Moreira as a MotoGP rider with their satellite team, LCR, after the Japanese crew changed the terms of their offer.

Moreira has emerged as a MotoGP rider in waiting this year during his second season on the Moto2 grid. The 21-year-old could also win the intermediate class title this term, with Intact GP rival Manuel Gonzalez only nine points in front of the Italtrans gem with four races to go.

Diogo Moreira ‘tested the waters’ with Yamaha after Honda changed their contract offer

Moreira is still expected to make his MotoGP debut with LCR in 2026. But the exact terms of the Brazilian’s first premier class contract remain to be seen after Honda changed their offer at the last moment when he went to put pen to paper on a factory deal for the Tokyo brand.

That is according to Giovanni Zamagni, who has told the Moto.it podcast that Honda initially offered Moreira a three-year factory contract that featured spending the first season at LCR. But Honda then changed it to a two-year contract, plus an option in their favour for a third.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Diogo Moreira from net worth to height

Honda’s sudden change of stance even made Moreira consider spending another season in Moto2 with Italtrans next year, before moving to MotoGP in 2027. But Italtrans had already signed Daniel Munoz and Adrian Huertas, so Moreira also “tested the waters” with Yamaha.

Moreira approached Yamaha to explore a move to the Pramac Moto2 team for 2026, before then graduating to MotoGP with Honda’s rivals. Yamaha cannot offer the Sao Paulo native a MotoGP bike, having re-signed Jack Miller to partner Toprak Razgatlioglu at Pramac in 2026.

But it is still considered “pretty obvious” that Moreira will race with LCR in the 2026 MotoGP season as a factory-contracted Honda rider, before joining the Tokyo natives’ factory team in 2027. Moreira and Honda resolved the dispute about his contract, but his terms are unclear.

Diogo Moreira is an LCR Honda 2026 MotoGP rider in every way except an announcement

Moreira has already been in the LCR MotoGP garage to prepare for his graduation into the premier class with the satellite Honda team next year. The Brazilian carried out ergonomic tests aboard the RC213V in LCR’s garage at Motegi while still wearing his Italtrans leathers.

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

Honda legend Marc Marquez is offering Moreira advice, as well, as the Brazilian battles for the 2025 Moto2 title. The Guarulhos-born prospect scored his third race win of the season last time out at the Indonesian Grand Prix, as title rival Gonzalez was disqualified from P2.

Moreira became the first Brazilian to win a Moto2 race with his maiden intermediate class victory at the Dutch Grand Prix in June, and he also bagged another victory at the Austrian Grand Prix in August. But Gonzalez’s disqualification at Mandalika could be game-changing.