Marco Bezzecchi
MotoGP factories are calling for a budget cap in the premier class, expressing fears over Honda’s financial supremacy.
The Japanese giants are looking to return to their past glory in MotoGP, having regressed dramatically in recent years. In 2026, Honda are slowly building back to the front of the grid, having achieved C-rank concessions last year.
While the RC213V is not a race-winning bike right now, the project has serious potential, thanks to Honda’s significant budget. This has left their rivals calling for a Formula 1-style budget cap to halt their progress.
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Honda are in talks with Tech3 over bringing them in alongside LCR as a satellite team. They want to match Ducati and have six bikes on the grid in 2027, highlighting just how strong the manufacturer is financially.
Things are sounding promising for the 850cc era, with Honda being ‘ahead of schedule’ for the 2027 season and regulation changes. They could be a serious threat, and rivals want to stop that.
MotoGP teams are calling for a budget cap to ‘slow down’ Honda
Journalist Simon Patterson said on The Race MotoGP Podcast that manufacturers, besides Yamaha, are privately calling for a budget cap in MotoGP. Honda’s resources have given them cause for concern.
“I honestly think that bike is close enough to be competitive, that the new regulation cycle is going to give them the boost that they need, and they’re Honda. They come to win races. Like that’s what they do,” he said.
“Winning races is what Honda have done since 1965, since the first Premier title. It’s what they’re going to continue to do.
“Every other manufacturer in MotoGP, apart from Yamaha, probably, they won’t say it out loud, but they want an F1 price cap, a budget cap just to slow down Honda.
“Because Ducati are selling 50,000 bikes a year, 50,000 Panigales a year to fund their MotoGP project, and Honda is selling 4 million in Indonesia.
“There is so much resource behind what they do, that for me, OK, it might not be ’27, but Honda are going to win again, without a doubt, Honda are going to win, and Honda don’t just win, they dominate.”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Honda from the MotoGP team’s riders to leadership
Can Fabio Quartararo and David Alonso lead Honda to another MotoGP title?
Honda have not won a MotoGP championship since 2019 with Marc Marquez. They have struggled to find a winning package since then, but 2027 could throw the pecking order into disarray.
If rumours are to be believed, they could have a strong package next year, and they have the rider line-up to put them in a winning position. Fabio Quartararo is joining Honda in 2027, with Moto2 star David Alonso set to partner with him.
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Quartararo will be the highest-paid rider on the grid next year, and he will be hoping to have a bike that he can win races with. He has been hugely frustrated over Yamaha’s lack of progress with development, hence his decision to sign for their Japanese rivals.
Quartararo and Alonso are certainly one of the most exciting rider pairings for 2027. With Honda’s financial power, they could be in a position to fight for race wins and potentially the championship, but whether they can adapt to the machine is another question.
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