LCR will be the first Honda team to reveal the 2026 MotoGP dual livery for Johann Zarco and newcomer Diogo Moreira during an online event today at 11am CET (10am UK time). You can watch the live unveiling below.
Lucio Cecinero’s LCR outfit will continue with a split design, with last year’s French MotoGP winner Johann Zarco retaining the Castrol livery for his third year with the team. However, with Diogo Moreira joining, the IDEMITSU sponsorship era at LCR is ending, as Honda’s in-house oil brand, Pro Honda, takes over as the title sponsor for the current Moto2 champion’s RC213V bike.
Zarco, who took a race win in 2023 with Pramac Ducati, has been Honda’s leading rider for both the 2024 season and the most recent one, narrowly holding this position. His standout moments included a strong victory at Le Mans and a podium finish at Silverstone. At 35, Zarco also played a role in Honda’s triumph at the Suzuka 8 Hours and has secured a multi-year contract extension with HRC. This deal makes him one of only three riders confirmed for the 2027 grid so far.
On the other hand, Moreira clinched the Moto2 title by overtaking veteran title contender Manuel Gonzalez and has signed a multi-year deal to compete in MotoGP with Honda. The 21-year-old rookie qualified for the Sepang Shakedown and showed considerable progress in his lap times on the final day, finishing 6th overall (+1.165 seconds). He even outperformed fellow rookie and World Superbike Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu.
The official 2026 MotoGP Sepang test, featuring Zarco and the rest of the grid, kicks off on February 3.
Fan Take: This announcement is huge for racing fans as it signals the start of a fresh chapter for Honda with a promising new talent alongside an established star. The blend of experience and youthful potential could shake up the competition and inject new excitement into the MotoGP championship.
