Honda announced in the early hours of Tuesday morning (the 20th) that Diogo Moreira will defend the factory team in the 2027 MotoGP season. According to the team, the agreement with the Brazilian rider spans multiple years and completes the lineup alongside Frenchman Fabio Quartararo for next year’s championship, which will feature 850cc bikes.
The 22-year-old rider, current Moto2 World Champion, is making his debut season in the premier class defending LCR, Honda’s satellite team. Adapting to the RC213V, Moreira secured his first top-10 at the Catalan Grand Prix, and since then has been contending for positions within this group. At the Japanese Grand Prix, he podiumed in the Sprint with a second-place finish.
“It’s a fantastic feeling to join Honda’s factory MotoGP team; it’s something every rider dreams of when they’re young. I want to thank everyone at Honda for trusting me to take this next step in this project,” said Diogo Moreira, who will become the first Brazilian to defend Honda’s official factory team since Alexandre Barros in 2004.
“During 2026 we did a great job adapting to the bike, and the feelings for the future are already very positive. Of course, I also have to thank everyone at LCR who helped me adapt to MotoGP; the whole team was crucial in this development. I’m looking forward to next year to help bring Honda back to where it should be,” Moreira added.
“Moreira has always managed to adapt to motorcycles quickly, from motocross to Moto3, Moto2, and MotoGP. This is a sign of a talented rider and Honda has continued its support for Diogo for this next step in his career, and our plan is to return to contending for the world title,” said Yuzuru Ishikawa, Honda’s Director of Racing.
We have a highly competitive pair of riders for the upcoming season at both Honda and LCR, and I’m certain these riders will push each other. Not only to elevate their on-track performance, but also to help engineers craft the best possible bike for this new era,” Ishikawa concluded.
With Moreira’s signing and the arrival of Colombian David Alonso at LCR, MotoGP completes the grid for the 2027 season. The only remaining question was whether the Honda factory rider would be the Brazilian or the Colombian.
The 2026 MotoGP season continues this weekend, with the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island.
