Can this MotoGP rookie out-perform Toprak Razgatlioglu?

LCR Honda’s two liveries for the 2026 MotoGP season have been revealed ahead of the first official test.

LCR’s testing programme already began this week in Sepang, the Italian-owned team getting on-track with rookie Diogo Moreira at the Sepang MotoGP Shakedown, a test reserved for rookies and test riders (with the exception of category D concessions manufacturers, which this year includes only Yamaha, who can lap with their race riders in any non-official test).

The Brazilian made a tough start in Sepang, only setting a best time of a 1:59.930 in the first two days, but on the final day he improved drastically to a 1:58.338 and finishing ahead of fellow rookie and three-time WorldSBK Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu by just over 0.1 seconds.

Moreira’s introduction to LCR this year brings with it a change of sponsor on that side of the garage. Asian lubricants giant Idemitsu had sponsored one of the LCR bikes since Takaaki Nakagami stepped up to the premier class in 2018, but Moreira’s South American origins withdrew their interest, so HRC has placed Pro Honda, Honda’s own lubricants company, on the fairing and as title sponsor for 2026.

On the other side of the garage there are no changes at all, as Castrol remains as title sponsor for Johann Zarco’s bike. The Frenchman had an up-and-down 2025 season, but it included that memorably victory in France. His contract is, officially, set to keep him with the team in 2027, but Honda’s improvements at the end of last year make it an attractive prospect, including to riders who might be attractive enough to Honda to convince them to let Zarco go a year early in order to make space.

Time will tell, but the pressure is on the two-time MotoGP race winner from the beginning in 2026.

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