Takaaki Nakagami is out of contention for the Japanese Grand Prix, the 16th round of the 2026 MotoGP season. The rider, who would race the event for Honda, suffered a fall in the opening minutes of the free practice that kicked off the category’s schedule at the Motegi circuit and, moments later, it was confirmed that he had a fracture in his left clavicle, preventing him from taking part in his home race.
Nakagami, who debuted the season in the last round in Austria, was set to compete this weekend as a Honda guest rider, but after three minutes of practice he crashed the bike at turn 11, at a moment when the asphalt was still wet. The rider required assistance from the marshals to leave the scene, and afterwards the session continued as normal.
Before the session that closed the opening weekend of MotoGP activity in Motegi, Honda released a statement via social networks confirming Nakagami’s clavicle injury. Accordingly, the Japanese rider is out of the weekend’s proceedings.
“Unfortunately, Takaaki Nakagami suffered a fracture to the left clavicle and was declared unfit for the weekend,” Honda posted on social media. As a result, the team continues the weekend with two other riders, Luca Marini, the team’s regular rider, and Somkiat Chantra, who fills in for Joan Mir at the Japanese round of the championship.
The Japanese MotoGP Grand Prix will take place in the early hours of Sunday, with the start at 2 a.m.
