Following a slew of announcements at the start of the week, the 2026 MotoGP grid is virtually complete.
Honda kicked off the latest round of rider news by confirming that Luca Marini will stay at its factory squad next year, while Johann Zarco will likewise be retained at its satellite squad LCR on a new two-year deal.
Then, on Tuesday, VR46 revealed that it signed a contract extension with Franco Morbidelli until the end of the 2026 season.
Two other riders are understood to have also agreed terms with their respective teams for next season, but no official announcements have been made yet.
Firstly, Jack Miller has a fresh contract with Pramac for 2026, having applied pressure on Yamaha in the build-up to the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Then, Moto2 race winner Diogo Moreira will replace the underperforming Somkiat Chantra at LCR next year, pending a formal confirmation.
Diogo Moreira, Italtrans Racing Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images
It’s not impossible that there could still be surprises. Until Honda and Pramac officially reveal their full line-ups for 2026, nothing can be taken for granted.
In fact, there is considerable secrecy surrounding the future of Moto2 points leader Manu Gonzalez, whose plans for 2026 will be revealed this week.
Everything points to the Spaniard announcing a renewal with his current team, Intact GP, but no official update has been provided yet. After speaking with Yamaha, his representative was awaiting a call from Pramac, but this had not materialised by the previous round in Hungary.
2026 rookies
There will be just two new entrants in MotoGP next year. This wasn’t unexpected; with most riders in the middle of their two-year deals, there were simply not enough vacancies for newcomers.
However, MotoGP has managed to attract World Superbike star Toprak Razgatlioglu, who is currently fighting for his third title in the production-based category.
The Turkish rider will make his MotoGP debut at the age of 29 after signing a deal directly with Yamaha to race for its satellite team Pramac.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images
The other debutant will be Brazil’s Moreira, who is aiming to win his first title in Moto2 this season.
While a number of other riders initially tipped for a Moto2 move lost their way, Moreira continued to improve with time, and is seen as an excellent signing for Honda.
The Tokyo-based marque had to stave off competition from Yamaha, which was interested in pairing him with Razgatlioglu at Pramac.
Losing their seats
Apart from Chantra, another rider who is expected to drop out of MotoGP next year is five-time race winner Miguel Oliveira.
The Portuguese rider moved to Pramac in 2025 after a difficult two-year stint at Trackhouse Aprilia, but his future at the team had been in doubt ever since it signed Razgatlioglu in June.
Pramac had to drop either Miller or Oliveira to make way for the WSBK star, and it appears that the latter is on the chopping block.
Miguel Oliveira, Pramac Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images
Oliveira had signed a 1+1 deal with Pramac last year, with the team having the option to terminate his contract if certain performance criteria was never met. Partly due to injuries, Olivera has not able to achieve the set results, leaving the team free to drop him from its line-up.
As for Chantra, the lack of performance from the Thai rookie forced Honda to look elsewhere, even if that means the loss of sponsorship from petroleum giant Idemitsu.
2026 MotoGP grid: Teams and riders
*pending official announcement
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