Johann Zarco backed for factory Honda - “but it becomes political”
"Prestige" theory about Johann Zarco and factory Honda
Johann Zarco has been backed for a factory Honda ride - but other factors have been tipped to come into play.
Zarco was Honda’s best rider last year from their LCR satellite team, and has continued his overachieving form in 2025.
He currently sits sixth in the MotoGP standings after three rounds, having started the campaign with a pair of top-10 grand prix finishes.
Honda’s eye-catching progression this season has caused speculation over how coveted their factory seat might be in 2026.
Joan Mir is contracted, but teammate Luca Marini’s deal expires at the end of this year.
Zarco is an obvious candidate to be promoted, while KTM’s Pedro Acosta and WSBK champion Toprak Razgatlioglu have also been linked.
Johann Zarco 'deserves' Honda MotoGP promotion
TNT Sports’ Sylvain Guintoli said about Zarco: “He deserves it. But it becomes political.
“In LCR he gets the same treatment. He gets the same bike, and he’s got a Honda contract.
“So, for him, it’s more a question of prestige. It won’t change much in terms of the technical side.
“Honda might want to reserve that status for somebody else, to attract an Acosta or a Toprak.
“Zarco is happy and performing at LCR.
“If you’re Lucio Cechinello and you’ve got your sponsors, and Zarco is on the bike, you don’t want to let him go.”
Suddenly, the factory Honda opportunity in 2026 is desirable if the manufacturer’s improvement continues.
“They have turned things around,” Guintoli said.
“It’s gone from the worst package which nobody wanted to touch - Ai Ogura, an up-and-coming Japanese rider, didn’t want to go on the bike because he didn’t know if it would be competitive.
“It’s really impressive what they have done. Unbelievable.”
LCR boss Cecchinello admitted “Honda will the final word” over his team’s 2026 rider line-up.
He also stressed that Zarco would need to change garages, crew chiefs and team which would be a difficult challenge.
Cecchinello wants to keep Zarco, who is now the oldest rider in MotoGP at 34.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
