Marco Bezzecchi
Honda’s work on their 2027 prototype bike is paying off, as they are rumoured to be outperforming their current bike.
There were concerns that Honda were gambling their MotoGP future away by shutting down the development of their 2026 bike to focus on their 2027 prototype.
With Fabio Quartararo set to join Honda next year, the Japanese team are looking to turn over a new leaf under the new regulation changes.
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When it came to the development of their 2027 bike, Honda were reportedly ahead of schedule, with their prototype work yielding positive results.
And according to rumours around the paddock, Honda made the right decision prioritising the development of the 850cc bike.
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MotoGP paddock members believe Honda’s 2027 bike is a ‘no-brainer’
Speaking on his YouTube channel, MotoGP reporter Rosario Triolo revealed that there are rumours surrounding Honda’s 850cc bike prototype outperforming their current bike during a session with Takaaki Nakagami.
He also added that there are those within the MotoGP paddock who think that Honda’s bike for next year will be an obvious choice for the best under the new regulation changes.
“HRC are working hard on the 850cc bike prototype. Honda is focusing heavily on this project. Some rumours suggest that a lap with the 850cc would set times close to or even better than those of the 1000cc with Takaaki Nakagami…
“There’s certainly a lively atmosphere in the air… People say around the paddock that Honda bikes are a no-brainer… In any case, there is certainly a desire to return to being a reference team for motorsport…”
Honda are expected to thrive with Pirelli tyres, which will be introduced under the new regulations. But the news about their bike will cause concern among rival teams.
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Fabio Quartararo and David Alonso have bought into Honda’s 2027 vision
Speaking further in his video, Triolo revealed that Honda’s riders next year, Fabio Quartararo and David Alonso, along with Diogo Moreira, have completely bought into the team’s vision of having six bikes on the grid.
“Guenther Steiner wants Tech3 to switch to Honda. The move to six bikes has been embraced by talents of different generations like Diogo Moreira, David Alonso, and Fabio Quartararo, who are on board with the Honda project.”
Steiner pushing to move Tech3 to Honda could be a shrewd move given how well Honda are doing at the moment in adapting to the 2027 regulations.
And with Honda doing their best to lure David Alonso, one of the most sought-after Moto2 prospects, to their team in 2027, it looks like the team’s decision to go all-in on next season could pay off.
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