Marco Bezzecchi
Honda find themselves in a position to finally threaten their old MotoGP rivals once more during the 2026 season.
Moving up to Tier C of the concessions signals a milestone in their comeback, having been confined to the back of the grid for some time.
Both Joan Mir and Luca Marini are responsible for helping to develop their bike and bringing it back to a competitive level.
But Honda will face a tricky decision with both of them in the coming months. The active MotoGP rider market will force some early calls.
Who should Honda sign for the 2027 MotoGP season?
Do you think it should be someone other than the riders in this list? Let us know in the comments below!
Honda are keen on ‘championship-worthy’ riders for 2027, which signals that they are ready to make some upgrades and spend cash.
Fortunately, Ducati will ‘never’ have what Honda has, and that gives the Japanese manufacturer an upper hand in negotiations. They’re well-positioned to make a move.
READ MORE: MotoGP fans are all in agreement as Honda tease their new 850cc ‘beast’ of an engine for 2027
Joan Mir and Luca Marini might be doomed before completing a lap for Honda in 2026
Marc Marquez is ‘attracted’ to joining Honda, and other big names have been linked with a move there in recent months.
The level of interest in a gig with them is likely to depend on how well they progress in 2026 and whether they can give any guarantees around having a competitive bike in the future. That’s what will attract talent.
Honda have ‘already spoken’ to Pedro Acosta, and he’s another superstar who would give Honda’s line-up an instant boost.
This interest in other riders puts both Mir and Marini at risk of losing their seats for next season, given that their contracts are up at the end of 2026.
Mir’s inconsistency and ability to get held up in incidents doesn’t do him any favours, but he edges Marini in outright pace.
There’s a chance that neither of them are retained beyond 12 months from now, but that all depends on just how much Honda want to spend.
READ MORE: Luca Marini once felt like he ‘made a mistake’ replacing Marc Marquez at Honda
Why Honda opted to stick with their current line-up for the 2026 MotoGP season
Making a change to their rider line-up in the final year before a big regulation change wouldn’t have been of much use to Honda.
Realistically, sticking with the same guys, allowing them to continue their work developing the bike, was a wise move.
No need to introduce a new individual to the team, who would have required some time to get up to speed with their processes.
If they desire a reset, they have it in the not-so-distant future. It’s hard to see where Mir or Marini might end up next, if they do opt to leave the Japanese manufacturer, though.
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