Marco Bezzecchi
Honda have agreed to make Moto2 gem David Alonso a factory MotoGP rider in 2027, unlike Ducati and Yamaha, yet Ricard Jove doubts he will ride for the works HRC team.
Alonso is one of the brightest prospects in the lower world championship categories and has long been destined for a spot on the MotoGP grid. It now seems very likely that the 19-year-old will graduate to the premier class with Honda in 2027 after rejecting Ducati and Yamaha.
Reports recently emerged that claimed Honda will sign Alonso for their factory 2027 line-up, as they move to lock down Fabio Quartararo’s teammate ahead of his expected switch from Yamaha next term. It is an open secret that Quartararo has agreed to join Honda from 2027.
Joan Mir and Luca Marini are both out of contract in the factory Honda garage at the end of 2026, which opens the door for Alonso and Quartararo to join. But Jove is not yet convinced that Alonso will actually race with the works Honda squad, despite being more open in talks.
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Ducati and Yamaha refused to make David Alonso a factory MotoGP rider, unlike Honda
Jove claims Alonso spoke with Yamaha and Ducati before finalising an agreement to race for Honda in the 2027 MotoGP season. But Yamaha and Ducati refused to match his demand to be a works rider, whereas Honda are ready to give the Colombian the status that he desires.
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However, as Honda also have LCR rider Diogo Moreira on a factory contract through possibly 2028 that also features an option for him to be moved into their works line-up, Jove expects Alonso will actually join LCR when he debuts in MotoGP – albeit with a factory HRC contract.
Jove told Mundo Deportivo: “It’s true that David Alonso will be with Honda – even though they’ve also spoken with Yamaha and Ducati, but he didn’t have a chance of being a factory rider with either of those last two.
“David Alonso wants and is asking for that status, and Honda are giving it to him. However, I have serious doubts that he will be in the factory team. And why do I say that? Because we have to see how they work everything out.”
He added: “Moreira also has a factory bike at LCR with an official rider contract. I know that, if he meets his objectives, Honda’s plan is to have him in the factory team. How would he feel if another rider comes along and skips that step, going straight into the factory team?
“If Moreira gets results, he won’t take it well at all. I don’t doubt that David Alonso will have an official rider contract at Honda, but I do doubt that he will be in the factory Honda team.
“Promoting a Moto2 rider directly to the factory team, when you have a rider like Diogo Moreira under contract and have promised him that progression from satellite to factory, it does not make sense to me. I see David Alonso at LCR.”
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Moreira made his MotoGP debut with LCR as a factory-contracted Honda rider in 2026 after rejecting the advances of rival teams such as Yamaha last year. It was said that Yamaha and Trackhouse were interested in Moreira whilst he successfully fought to win the Moto2 title.
Honda won the race to sign Moreira as they were prepared to put forward a pathway to the Japanese brand’s works team. The Brazilian is said to have signed an initial two-year factory Honda contract that boasts the option of a third and a potential works ride as soon as 2027.
Team owner Lucio Cecchinelo says LCR hope to keep Moreira in 2027, which may let Honda place Alonso straight from Moto2 into their factory MotoGP team next year. Johann Zarco is also under contract directly to Honda to ride for satellite team LCR through the 2027 season.
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