Honda poised for a major coup: Mir and Marini won’t sleep easy

The MotoGP paddock has gathered in Sepang, Malaysia, where the first pre-season tests for the 2026 season will take place. The main topic of conversation is the rider market, more than the evolution of the latest 1000cc prototypes. In recent days, many transfer rumors have been swirling, and for Honda, the time has come for change.

What stirred the market was the likely move of Fabio Quartararo from Yamaha to Honda. Even though the French champion keeps his lips sealed, he does not deny the possibility. "The only thing I can confirm today is that we are in talks with the teams," said the Nice-born rider. "Honda is one of them, but nothing has been signed yet... It's not a matter of money. It's the feeling of happiness, of being back on the top step of the podium."

Once Honda confirms the deal with Quartararo, the question will arise as to who will be his teammate in the 2027 MotoGP season. The contracts of Luca Marini and Joan Mir expire at the end of 2026. Johann Zarco and Diogo Moreira are confirmed in the LCR team with Honda contracts for 2027. The one most at risk is the Spaniard Mir, the 2020 world champion, who managed to step onto the podium twice last year. But there were also numerous retirements and crashes, some of them rather trivial.

"To tell the truth, I don’t know what I want to do right now: that’s my current situation," says the Majorcan. "It’s true that I’ve seen progress in the Honda project. I’ve been there in tough times... Now I’m focusing on starting the season in the best possible way." But the MotoGP rider market forces everyone to move quickly, otherwise you risk being left out. "Right now I’m not thinking about it much. But it’s also true that if others are already finalizing their contracts, then we have to make our move too. That’s the reality."

The ideal condition would be to wait for the first races to avoid making hasty decisions and risk getting it wrong. "In my case, that means no one can sleep soundly, because obviously no one wants to be left without a seat," continued Joan Mir. "On the other hand, I also want to see things before making a decision... If everything is signed too early, both parties might regret it later."

On the other side of the garage is Luca Marini, who is counting on an "excellent relationship with Honda." At the end of 2023, Valentino Rossi’s brother decided to leave VR46 to replace Marc Marquez on the RC213V. After a complicated first year (14 points), Marini collected 142 points in the 2025 standings. "We have an excellent relationship and I think everyone still has enough time to sort these matters out calmly."

Time is relative; ideally, you’d have clarity as soon as possible. It’s impossible not to feel the frenzy circulating in the MotoGP paddock. After all, HRC could try to lure another big name. "At the moment, there’s just a lot of speculation," emphasized Luca Marini. "Probably because we were all a bit bored at home and wanted to light the fire as soon as possible. But as soon as technical issues return to center stage after the tests, the situation will surely calm down."