LCR boss hints at open-ended Honda future for one MotoGP rookie

LCR MotoGP team boss Lucio Cecchinello admits “I don’t know where” Diogo Moreira will race beyond the 2026 season, having penned a deal directly with Honda.

HRC confirmed earlier this week that it had signed Moto2 title contender and top junior prospect Diogo Moriera to a three-year contract.

The Brazilian will make his MotoGP debut in 2026 with the LCR squad alongside Johann Zarco, though there have been rumours that Moreira’s deal will see him step to the factory Honda team in 2027.

On Friday at the Australian Grand Prix, Cecchinello revealed there are no concrete plans to suggest Moreira will be an LCR rider in 2027 - though he stressed the importance of continuity for his team in terms of commercial partnerships.

“Well, to be honest, Diogo signed with Honda HRC,” he said.

“HRC asked us to have Diogo for 2026 for sure. About the future, I don’t know where HRC will decide to place Diogo.

“We have also two years still with Johann Zarco, ’26 and ’27.

“It’s very important for us to keep the stability and keep going on with this philosophy.

“That’s very important, not only from the point of view of our working flow and working system.

“But also to show the sponsors that we can carry on programmes and sponsorship activations with the same riders.”

Door not shut on Somkiat Chantra’s MotoGP future hopes

Moreira will be LCR’s third rider in as many years on the Idemitsu-backed side of the garage, with Somkiat Chantra replacing Takaaki Nakagami this season.

That side of the garage is specifically set up to field top Asian talents, and was a seat earmarked for 2024 Moto2 title winner Ai Ogura before he joined Trackhouse Aprilia instead.

Chantra’s rookie season has been a struggle, with Honda disregarding his data given his lack of pace on the bike relative to his stablemates.

But Cecchinello believes Chantra has “potential” and noted “never say never to seeing Somkiat” again in the future.

“Of course, Honda, Dorna are very much interested in providing opportunities to riders from Asia,” the team owner added.

“The reality is that it is a little bit, probably, early to have a sky-high potential Asian rider.

“Somkiat definitely has that potential, but we can see he needs a little bit more time to learn the category and learn the bike.

“That’s why HRC maybe decided to move him to World Superbikes, but they didn’t close the door on him to come back to this side of the garage.

“So, let’s hope to start well with Diogo and never say never to seeing Somkiat back in our garage.”