Honda HRC has confirmed that Luca Marini will continue with the factory Honda HRC Castrol team for the 2026 MotoGP World Championship, extending his stay as a key rider in the Japanese manufacturer’s premier-class project.

The Italian rider, who joined Honda in 2024, has made notable progress in the current 2025 campaign. Marini has scored points in every race weekend he has started and has already tripled his points tally from 2024 after just 12 rounds. His standout performance so far came at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he secured a strong fifth-place finish aboard the Honda RC213V.

Luca Marini: “Determined to bring Honda back to the front”

Expressing his excitement about the contract extension, Marini said:

“I am very happy to make this announcement and remain with Honda HRC. We have just been working on a few final details, both HRC’s management and myself have been aligned on the future for quite a while. I am completely invested in this project and determined to help Honda return to the front in the MotoGP World Championship. Since joining the team in 2024, we have continued to improve and work together in an ever-improving way. Working with a factory, and especially a factory like Honda HRC, gives you huge motivation as a rider. We have had a good season so far and the focus remains to continue improving until the very last lap in Valencia.”

Honda HRC praise Marini’s professionalism and development role

HRC General Manager Taichi Honda praised Marini’s impact and commitment to the project, highlighting his technical contributions:

“We are happy to continue with Luca for another year, he has shown a high level of professionalism and dedication throughout. Luca has earned himself a reputation as an analytical rider and an incredibly hard worker, a valuable asset to any MotoGP project. Luca’s feedback is clear and precise and has been very useful for Honda HRC’s engineers in continuing the development of the Honda RC213V over the past season and a half.”

Marini and Honda HRC look to the future

Honda’s factory MotoGP team has endured a challenging few years, but Marini’s steady performances in 2025 suggest progress in both rider and machine development. His continuation into 2026 provides stability for HRC as they target a return to the front of the MotoGP World Championship.

With Marini’s growing consistency, Honda hopes to build a strong foundation for future competitiveness and regain its position among the sport’s frontrunners.