The 2026 MotoGP grid was finalised this Tuesday following the official confirmation of Diogo Moreira’s debut with the LCR Honda team, a move first reported by Autosport back in August.
The other mystery, concerning Yamaha’s Pramac team, was resolved a couple of weeks ago when Jack Miller’s renewal was confirmed, effectively pushing Miguel Oliveira out of MotoGP.
As for the factory teams, none will undergo any changes next season.
There are no surprises at Ducati, which will retain nine-time world champion Marc Marquez alongside Francesco Bagnaia.
The line-up at KTM’s factory team also remains unchanged, with Pedro Acosta and Brad Binder continuing next year.
Binder, whose contract expires at the end of 2026, came close to losing his factory seat after KTM considered replacing him with a fast Maverick Vinales. Only the Spaniard’s untimely shoulder injury during qualifying at the German GP prevented a direct swap between the pair for 2026.
Among factory riders, the only one to receive a contract renewal is Luca Marini, whose deal with Honda was expiring at the end of this year.
Honda is preparing for a major overhaul of its rider line-up for 2027, with Moreira’s signing as the first step, after its attempt to sign Jorge Martín for next year fell through. With a bike that’s steadily improving and nearly every rider on the grid out of contract at the end of next season, Honda will have the freedom to go ‘shopping’ in 2027.
There are no changes at Aprilia either, though a shake-up was close as Martin attempted to extricate himself from his contract. However, after talks over the summer, Martín will continue with the Italian manufacturer, teaming up with one of the star performers of 2025, Marco Bezzecchi.
Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins will also remain at Yamaha next year, with the Japanese marque quashing any doubts over the latter’s future.
Among satellite riders, Franco Morbidelli and Johann Zarco have landed fresh contracts with their respective teams VR46 and LCR. In Zarco’s case, he now has a valid deal until the 2027 season.
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 on the verge of securing 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
Somkiat Chantra and most notably Miguel Oliveira will not be seen on the 2026 MotoGP grid.
Oliveira 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 is the latter who was eventually sacked by the team.
Miguel Oliveira, Pramac Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images
Oliveira will now head in the opposite direction as Razgatlioglu, taking his vacant seat at BMW in WSBK. He is also in talks with Aprilia to combine his primary WSBK commitments with a test role in MotoGP.
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. Like Oliveira, Chantra has found a new home in WSBK, where he will race for the factory Honda team.
2026 MotoGP grid: Teams and riders
*pending official announcement
We want to hear from you!
Let us know what you would like to see from us in the future.
Take our survey
– The Autosport.com Team
Read the full article here
