Johann Zarco hints Honda rejected rider ‘step above’ Diogo Moreira to replace LCR’s Somkiat Chantra

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Johann Zarco is set to welcome a new teammate to LCR for the 2026 MotoGP season, with Honda expected to replace Somkiat Chantra with Moto2 wonder Diogo Moreira.

Honda have confirmed that Chantra will leave LCR at the end of this year and move to their factory World Superbike Championship team for the 2026 season. The 26-year-old failed to impress the Japanese manufacturer in his rookie MotoGP season with their satellite squad.

Only Honda’s test rider Aleix Espargaro is below Chantra in the 2025 MotoGP standings after the first 18 rounds of this year’s scheduled 22. Espargaro is yet to record a point this season, after only four stand-in appearances, while Chantra has scored six points in 13 rounds so far.

Although the move is still to be confirmed, Honda are expected to sign Moreira as Chantra’s replacement at LCR for the 2026 MotoGP season. The 21-year-old is thought to have agreed to a multi-year contract, which could see him move to Honda’s works team as early as 2027.

Johann Zarco thinks Manuel Gonzalez is ‘a step above’ Diogo Moreira

Zarco believes Moreira has the skill to adapt to a MotoGP bike, should the Brazilian join LCR next year. The Sao Paulo native is currently second to Manuel Gonzalez in the Moto2 riders’ championship with just nine points between them, with four rounds of the term remaining.

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

But Zarco also claims Gonzalez is “a step above” Moreira, yet the 23-year-old has to spend at least one more season in Moto2. He also thinks Gonzalez missed out on a MotoGP ride as he is Spanish and there are already nine permanent Spanish riders on the premier class grid.

“Moreira has the status to be able to do it,” Zarco said, via quotes by Motosport.com, about the Brazilian adapting to MotoGP. “He’s fast on all bikes. After that, he’s playing for the title.

“I think Manu Gonzalez is a step above him. We know that nationality [plays a role] when it comes to finding a place in MotoGP, that it doesn’t help the Spanish. But Moreira is one of the very good riders.”

Honda and Yamaha rejected Manu Gonzalez for a 2026 MotoGP contract

Like LCR star Zarco has suggested, Gonzalez believes him being Spanish works against him joining MotoGP after having to accept another season in Moto2 with Intact GP. He held talks with Yamaha about replacing Jack Miller at Pramac and was an option for Chantra’s LCR ride.

Honda viewed Gonzalez as their Plan B to Moreira after he impressed the Tokyo crew when he tested for Trackhouse Aprilia at Aragon in June. He stood in for Ai Ogura in the post-race test as the Japanese rider, who rejected a 2025 LCR Honda ride, was sidelined due to injury.

Likewise, Yamaha considered Gonzalez as an alternative to Moreira as the Iwata outfit eyed an all-new line-up for Pramac next year. But Yamaha rejected Gonzalez to retain Miller on a fresh one-year factory contract, with the Australian partnering Toprak Razgatlioglu in 2026.

Now, Gonzalez must hope he can find a place on the 2027 MotoGP grid, when a lot of rides might become available. Only LCR rider Zarco on a factory Honda contract and Pramac pilot Razgatlioglu on a factory Yamaha contract are currently signed up beyond the end of 2026.