Zarco’s hot streak highlights LCR’s awkward problem

Johann Zarco’s recent success, as Honda’s top performer in MotoGP, starkly exposes the struggles of his LCR team-mate, Somkiat Chantra. The latter was promoted to the premier class by the Japanese manufacturer after Ai Ogura unexpectedly broke his Honda ties to take up an Aprilia MotoGP ride for this season.

The oldest rider on the MotoGP grid is currently enjoying a youthful resurgence. Last month Zarco claimed a brilliant victory at Le Mans in front of an adoring home crowd, and came within reach of another win just two weeks later at Silverstone, finishing second, just four seconds behind Marco Bezzecchi. These performances have catapulted him to fifth in the championship standings, making him the highest-ranked rider not on a Ducati.

It’s an impressive feat for several reasons. At 34, the Frenchman is still able to take the fight to younger competitors arriving in the premier class with fire in their bellies. And he’s doing so on a satellite Honda. Yes, he has factory support as per his contract, but the resources at Lucio Cecchinello’s team can’t compare with those at HRC’s factory squad.

While Zarco’s form is undeniably commendable – and he’s currently negotiating to extend his deal with Honda – it also casts a harsh light on the performances of Chantra, his colleague across the garage. The Thai rider sits last in the standings without a single point to his name.

Chantra’s debut MotoGP season has been underwhelming even by rookie standards. His lack of competitiveness is so glaring that it’s now a serious concern, not just for LCR but for Honda too. It is widely understood that the manufacturer pushed for Chantra’s promotion from Moto2 for commercial reasons rather than sporting ones.

Chantra’s leap into MotoGP was the result of two rejections. First came previous LCR incumbent Takaaki Nakagami’s decision to retire from racing and join Honda’s robust test team. Then Ogura, even before clinching the 2024 Moto2 title, turned down Honda’s MotoGP offer to join Aprilia’s Trackhouse project instead.

With specific commercial conditions to meet for that vacant seat, Honda had limited options. It settled on the man who finished 12th in the 2024 Moto2 championship. Chantra, who finished that season 170 points behind Ogura, has just two wins and six podiums in his entire career. None of these came in 2024.

This unusual choice was largely shaped by LCR’s commitment to Honda, specifically the company’s Asian arm backed by title sponsor Idemitsu. The Japanese petroleum giant doesn’t just decorate Chantra’s bike – it supports Honda’s broader initiative to develop Asian riders too. This is a path that begins with the Asia Talent Cup and culminates with a ride on the #35 RC213V in LCR’s garage.

It’s a sound strategy – if the rider in question is ready and deserving of the seat. And that’s precisely what’s in doubt with the first Thai rider to compete in MotoGP.

Somkiat Chantra, Team LCR Honda

Photo by: Team LCR

A closer look at Chantra’s six race appearances this season – he missed the French GP due to complications after arm-pump surgery – suggests regression rather than progress. He has finished last in most grands prix and, more worryingly, the gap between him and the leaders has been growing.

The 31-second deficit to Marc Marquez at the Buriram opener turned into over a minute by the time the last race came around at Silverstone. In between, he was 38s behind Marquez in Qatar, a full minute behind Francesco Bagnaia in Austin, and retired at Jerez on lap 12, already 25s off leader Alex Marquez.

Though his arm issues and surgery haven’t helped, they don’t fully excuse his lack of pace. Autosport understands HRC engineers largely disregard the data collected from Chantra’s bike, as he often circulates more than 1.5s slower per lap than Honda’s other three riders. Sacrificing 25% of your development potential is hardly a good strategy in any scenario – let alone for a manufacturer trying to claw back ground after several lean years.

LCR’s contract with Honda gives the factory full authority over rider selection. Cecchinello would like to retain Zarco, provided the Frenchman finalises talks with HRC. But Chantra’s future is far less certain. So far, he’s fallen short of expectations – though there’s still a narrow window for him to turn things around.

“The Idemitsu project with Nakagami was pretty solid from a sporting point of view,” Cecchinello told Autosport in a phone interview. “But the bike lost competitiveness later on. Last year, Honda decided to turn the page and bring in Somkiat. It’s true we expected more from him, but it’s also true that he’s suffered a lot due to the arm-pump issues.”

When it comes to Chantra’s side of the garage, Cecchinello is in a tough position. Always diplomatic, he prefers to highlight the privilege of partnering with MotoGP’s most powerful manufacturer rather than dwell on the Thai rider’s poor results: “For Honda, the social message of backing an Asian rider is very important. The real problem would be losing a sponsor like Idemitsu.”

All this points to a decisive period ahead for the future of LCR’s ‘second’ Honda. Autosport understands Chantra will be given a bit more time to prove he deserves his place. But, if there’s no visible turning point soon, even Honda and Idemitsu – his biggest backer – may find it hard to justify keeping him on the bike next year.