Repsol and MotoGP agree new partnership for 2026
Repsol is heading back to the Grand Prix paddock in two major ways, one of which will be as a title-sponsor for MotoGP.
Repsol will make a swift return to Grand Prix racing in 2026, as the Spanish oil company has agreed a deal to become the sole lubricant supplier for the Moto2 and Moto3 championships.
But that’s not the only deal Repsol has agreed to, as it will become an official title sponsor for MotoGP at one of the 22 race weekends in 2026 and beyond. What round that will be has not yet been confirmed.
Repsol, which has been involved in MotoGP for more than 50 years, will replace Liqui Moly as the exclusive lubricant supplier for both development classes. The German company initially agreed a deal with Dorna to occupy that role until the end of 2027.
Dan Rossomondo, Chief Commercial Officer of MotoGP rights holder Dorna Sports, said this about the new deal with Repsol:
"Fans who already love MotoGP will know Repsol from its reputation in the sport for excellence and success, so we’re proud to see Repsol return. We know that as a lubricant supplier to Moto2 and Moto3, the riders and teams will be supplied with top-quality technology, and it is great news to see the brand take title sponsorship of a Grand Prix and put their name trackside. As MotoGP continues its trajectory of impressive growth, there is no better time to welcome Repsol as an official partner and write a new chapter together."
Repsol being part of the Grand Prix paddock in some type of fashion is big news, but being involved in the world championship without a partnership with Honda, is even more noteworthy.
That’s because the two brands enjoyed a relationship of 30 years in Grand Prix racing, with hundreds of wins achieved together, countless championships won, and some of the best riders wearing the famous Repsol Honda colours.
Marc Marquez, Valentino Rossi, Mick Doohan, Nicky Hayden, Jorge Lorenzo, Casey Stoner, Dani Pedrosa - I could go on, but I think you get the idea. These are just some of the sport’s most recognisable and most successful riders that wore the Repsol Honda leathers at some point in their career.
Repsol and Honda ended their partnership at the end of the 2024 MotoGP campaign, before the latter agreed to bring Castrol onboard as its new title sponsor for the factory team.
The difference between MotoGP and the lower classes is that every manufacturer can freely choose its lubricant supplier. However, in Moto2 and Moto3 all teams must use the same brand as part of a unified technical regulation.
Repsol and Honda parted ways following a barren run of results from 2020 until the end of 2024, which suggested Repsol was in some ways getting out the door at the right time.
With arguably the slowest bike on the grid during that time, Marc Marquez then left Honda to move to Gresini Ducati for the 2024 season, which compounded the RC213V’s struggles.
But Honda has had a mini resurgence in 2025 and looks to be heading back towards the front of the grid, although the likes of Ducati and Aprilia still seem to have more performance, currently.
Image credit - Gold and Goose
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After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.
