Diogo Moreira and an uncertain MotoGP future with Honda HRC

Looking ahead to 2027, Honda is making waves with an ambitious recruitment campaign. Having secured (pending official confirmation) Fabio Quartararo, negotiations are underway with David Alonso and with the Tech 3 Team to field two additional RCVs on the starting grid. Many names are being discussed, with the certainties represented by Johann Zarco and Diogo Moreira. The former is signed through 2027, the latter even through 2028. The reigning Moto2 World Champion is dreaming of a move to the factory team.

In the summer of 2025, Diogo Moreira was locked in by Honda with a three-year contract (2026, 2027, and 2028), effectively taking him off the market and out of reach of rival manufacturers. It’s a long-term investment, although the Brazilian rider has already shown promising signs in the present. Proof of this is that he has finished all three “long” races held so far in the points, placing 13th from Buriram to Austin via Goiânia—his home round—where he even had the luxury of winning the Sprint showdown against Luca Marini.

The 21-year-old from São Paulo has been placed with the LCR team for 2026, with his RC213V sponsored directly by Honda, featuring Pro Honda lubricants and Honda Motos Brasil with the famous tagline “Asas da Liberdade” (wings of freedom). A move to the factory Honda HRC team could be a dream for Diogo, but it’s also a contractual prospect, contingent on the results he achieves during 2026 and the performances he delivers.

For this reason, although the deal with David Alonso is considered done, Fabio Quartararo’s teammate has not yet been finalized. A potential all–South American duel is on the horizon, with the idea of a head-to-head between Joan Mir and Luca Marini—currently the two Honda HRC Castrol standard-bearers—now effectively off the table.