"Riding mistakes" observed from a struggling MotoGP rookie in 2025

LCR Honda MotoGP team boss Lucio Cecchinello has opened up on the “riding mistakes” Thai rookie Somkiat Chantra has been making in a difficult 2025 season.

The double Moto2 race winner signed for LCR to make his MotoGP debut this year, becoming the first Thai rider ever in the premier class.

While not fancied to be as strong a rookie as fellow debutants Fermin Aldeguer and Ai Ogura, Somkiat Chantra’s form has been hugely disappointing.

After 12 rounds, he has just one point to his credit, and his performances have prompted a rethink from Honda for 2026 about dedicating the Idemitsu-backed side of the LCR garage to an Asian rider.

In recent weeks, rumours of highly rated Moto2 star Diogo Moreira joining LCR in place of Chantra next year have gathered momentum.

Cecchinello doesn’t believes Chantra is struggling under these rumours, but has noted where he has been going wrong on the bike to be holding him back.

“I see him not particularly worried,” he told the MotoGP world feed on Friday at the Austrian Grand Prix.

“He likes racing. He knows that MotoGP is really, really a tough category.

“He realised that perhaps he will need a little bit more time to learn the category and to understand how to ride the MotoGP bike because he is fast.

“Particularly still he is doing some riding mistakes, like he hammers the brakes.

“He wants to absolutely gain on the brakes, while in MotoGP you have to be very careful especially at the beginning where you need to sacrifice the braking a little to prepare for the exit because it’s there where you really gain.

“Eventually he needs a little bit more time and of course he hopes all the rumours will finish soon, and then hopefully he’ll have another chance to race in MotoGP.

“But this decision will be taken by Honda HRC in the next couple of weeks.”

Chantra is currently out with a knee injury following a training incident after the Dutch Grand Prix, but is hoped to return for September’s Barcelona round.