Marco Bezzecchi
Johann Zarco was handed a new two-year contract by Honda in 2025, keeping him at LCR until at least 2027. But some managers within the team were not too pleased by that.
The Frenchman finished 12th in 2025 in what was an inconsistent year. He started the season well, securing Honda their first win since 2023 at his home race at Le Mans.
Zarco’s win was one of the rides of the season, and he followed it up with P2 at Silverstone. But after the British GP, he would finish in the top 10 only two more times for the rest of the year.
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Nevertheless, Zarco finished as Honda’s top rider in the championship, beating Luca Marini by just six points. He earned himself a deal until 2027, which puts him out of sync with the current contract cycle.
The circumstances of his contract suggest that not everyone was on board with the decision. HRC chief Alberto Puig was not involved in Zarco’s negotiations or the decision to retain him.
Some Honda managers were ‘less than impressed’ that Johann Zarco got a two-year contract at LCR
Journalist Neil Morrison discussed Zarco’s contract on the Paddock Pass Podcast. He sees a situation where the Frenchman could be paid off and moved to World Superbikes, as some Honda managers were not pleased that he was offered a new deal.
“I can kind of see some movement in LCR. Johann Zarco, for example, has a two-year contract, has a contract for 2027,” he said.
“But when you kind of consider his results, when you consider his trajectory, and when you consider that of Honda’s and the kind of ambitions that Honda is showing as well, I could maybe see a situation in which Zarco was maybe paid off to go and ride in Honda’s test team or maybe go across the World Superbikes.
| TEAM | BIKE | RIDER 1 | RIDER 2 |
| Aprilia | Aprilia RS-GP | Jorge Martin | Marco Bezzecchi |
| Trackhouse | Aprilia RS-GP | Ai Ogura | Raul Fernandez |
| Ducati | Ducati Desmosedici | Marc Marquez | Francesco Bagnaia |
| VR46 | Ducati Desmosedici | Fabio Di Giannantonio | Franco Morbidelli |
| Gresini | Ducati Desmosedici | Alex Marquez | Fermin Aldeguer |
| Honda | Honda RC213V | Joan Mir | Luca Marini |
| LCR | Honda RC213V | Johann Zarco | Diogo Moreira |
| KTM | KTM RC16 | Pedro Acosta | Brad Binder |
| Tech3 | KTM RC16 | Maverick Vinales | Enea Bastianini |
| Yamaha | Yamaha YZR-M1 | Fabio Quartararo | Alex Rins |
| Pramac | Yamaha YZR-M1 | Toprak Razgatlioglou | Jack Miller |
“So yeah, that’s something that maybe in his place, they make room for someone like Luca Marini, because there might not be any room at the inn in the Honda factory team.
“So I would say maybe Zarco, even though he’s got a contract for next year, maybe that’s something that could be worth keeping an eye on.
“I had heard that there were certain members of Honda management that were less than impressed that Zarco was given a two-year contract, especially when things were going so crazy in the rider market and quite a few exciting youngsters were going to be available to maybe step up from Moto2. So that is also something I think that fuels that suspicion.”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Johann Zarco from career stats to net worth
Former Honda team principal Livio Suppo would not have signed Johann Zarco to a two-year deal
Zarco reportedly earns £3.5m a year at LCR, but his results have certainly lacked consistency, particularly in 2025. Former Honda team principal, Livio Suppo, says he would not have retained him for two years.
“My first rider was [Tohru] Ukawa-san when I was in the Benetton team. They told me for the rookies, we give them three years,” he said on the Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast.
“The first season, they just need to learn. The second season, they start showing something. The third season, they must fight for the title.
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“Win doesn’t matter but they must be in that position. If not, ciao. This, I think, is a serious approach with young riders, different with more experienced riders.
“For example, with all respect for Zarco, but due to his age and due to his records, because like it or not, he won one race. No, OK, now two because he won also last season with Honda.
“But let’s say that in normal condition, he won one race in his life and was in normal condition influenced by the wrong choice of tires of Martin in Phillip Island. He’s 36, would you sign him two years? Personally, no.”
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