It's only April, but why not... 2026 MotoGP rider line-up <contracted through end of 2026>: Marc Marquez - Ducati Francesco Bagnaia - Ducati Pedro Acosta - KTM Brad Binder - KTM Jorge Martin - Aprilia Marco Bezzecchi - Aprilia Fabio Quartararo - Yamaha Alex Rins - Yamaha Joan Mir - Honda Fabio di Giannantonio - VR46 (contract w/ Ducati) Alex Marquez - Gresini Fermin Aldeguer - Gresini (contract w/ Ducati + option for 2 more years) Miguel Oliveira - Pramac (contract w/ Yamaha) Raul Fernandez - Trackhouse Ai Ogura - Trackhouse Maverick Vinales - Tech3 Enea Bastianini - Tech3 Riders with an option for 2026: Somkiat Chantra - LCR (w/ Honda) Rider's whose contracts expire at the end of this year (2025): Luca Marini - Honda Jack Miller - Pramac (contract w/ Yamaha) Johann Zarco - LCR (contract w/ Honda) Franco Morbidelli - VR46 So, barring any contract buy-outs (although those seem to be semi-normal now); "available" seats for 2026 are as follows: 1x Factory Honda 1x VR46 1x Pramac 1x LCR <assuming Chantra stays on the option / otherwise 2x seats> *Ref: https://www.crash.net/motogp/feature/1062005/1/2026-motogp-rider-line-grid-so-far
Some of you guys need to step away from the Turkish pipe. Toprak will be 30 years old, has a larger build, and is jumping onto a completely new platform. Ben had significantly better testing performances when he was in SBK than Toprak did when he got a go on the GP bike. If Bulega's bike isn't breaking down and Bautista hadn't finally run down the age hill, Raz is riding around in 3rd, let alone if a bunch of other guys had ACTUAL equal machinery. Keenan's used car salesman skills are hard at work at this point.
I think Toprak will get a HRC ride. I don’t think he’ll be more than a top 10 guy. I think Zarco will be in HRC colors next year unless he wants to keep the testing gig. I bet we also see Acosta on a VR46 bike. It doesn’t matter. Barring injuries, the next two titles are locked up imho.
https://www.crash.net/wsbk/news/1068009/1/motogp-switch-toprak-razgatlioglus-dream-kenan-sofuoglu “It’s clear that Toprak would like to go to MotoGP,” Sofuoglu told Italian publication GPOne at at last weekend’s Dutch Round. “In the last two weeks we have been trying to figure out how to make this move concrete. “We have found a solution but we cannot announce it yet, because at the moment we are discussing and evaluating everything in detail."
It's obvious that the learning curve is very steep in MotoGP...the Texas Tornado was a race winning fool in WSBK but wins eluded him in MotoGP. Best finish was 4th on the year with yammy sprinkled with an occasional podium. Even Bayliss was able to win a MotoGP race but elected to stay in the WSBK paddock. Be careful what ya wish for Stoprak...you may NOT get it
Just a reminder that both HRC riders are contracted through the end of 2026, so most likely, they'll stay there and "if" Toprak signs for Honda it would either be on LCR or the more long-term strategy of WSBK Honda + developing the '27 rules MotoGP bike. I do like that long-term plan and I think Toprak has shown that he can be both a fast racer and a good bike developer.
A Honda contract is worth what Honda determines it's worth. They sign Toprak and they want him in the factory seat, one of (or both) are going where Honda tells them to go.
Chantra is pretty useless it appears. If Toprak ends up at Honda, Chantra will be the one hitting the bricks.
Bayliss only won a MotoGP as a wild card, after he washed out of MotoGP and returned to the WSBK paddock.
