Honda calls up former MotoGP rider to replace Joan Mir in Japan
Somkiat Chantra will return to MotoGP with Honda at Motegi.
Somkiat Chantra will make a surprise MotoGP return in place of Joan Mir at next weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.
Mir missed last weekend’s Austrian round while undergoing further medical checks following the extreme fatigue that forced him out of the Misano race.
With his 'recovery and observation' continuing, the 2020 MotoGP world champion will also miss the upcoming Motegi and Mandalika rounds.
HRC test rider Takaaki Nakagami replaced Mir at the Red Bull Ring but cannot substitute for him in Japan since he is already entered as a wildcard, on a fifth RCV, for his home event.
With fellow HRC test rider Aleix Espargaro still returning to fitness after back injuries, Honda has turned to Chantra, who raced for LCR in 2025 before moving to HRC’s WorldSBK project this season.
Chantra won the 2023 Motegi Moto2 Grand Prix, and finished 15th for LCR in MotoGP last season.
His rookie WorldSBK campaign has seen him score points on seven occasions, with a best result of 13th, after recovering from pre-season injuries.
Nakagami, who has been carrying out the bulk of Honda's 850cc test riding, impressed with 13th place in his first race of the season in Austria, ahead of full-time Honda riders Luca Marini and Diogo Moreira.
Honda says it will provide the next update on Mir’s condition after the Indonesian Grand Prix.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
