Honda to be part of MotoGP World Championship until 2026
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This Friday, February 5, Honda has finally announced its renewed commitment to being part of the MotoGP World Championship until the conclusion of the 2026 season.

The Japanese giant and championship organisers, Dorna Sports, have announced the signing of a new five-year contract. 

The current ‘deal’ between the parties is due to expire at the end of this year (2021) therefore the new contract will take effect from the beginning of 2022. 

With this new agreement, the team of the golden wing joins KTM and Ducati, who have also recently signed their extensions with Dorna for the period 2022-2026.
Among the current MotoGP manufacturers, only Suzuki, Yamaha & Aprilia remain to make their intentions official.  As for the two Japanese firms, rumour has it that they are close to announcing their respective contractual arrangements. The Italians, on the other hand, have not let out any clue which might suggest they are close to reaching an agreement.   

As for the independent teams, both Gresini Racing, which is due to leave Aprilia after 2021, and LCR Honda, have already extended their contracts.

Petronas (Yamaha), Pramac (Ducati) and LCR (Honda) could also be close to communicating their permanence in the World Championship until 2026. 

Honda’s renewed commitment to the speciality has special significance giving the serious crises that the team is going through.

After Marc Marquez‘s injury in 2020 they haven’t had any victory, a hard-hitting reality for a team so used to breaking records.Worst of all, it is still unknown how long it will take for their Spanish star to make a full recovery. 

Honda, almost 70 years of racing

Honda and the competition go back all the way to 1954 when brand founder, Soichiro Honda, set his sights on the Isle of Man event, considered to be the most important competition on two wheels at the time.

His goal was none other than to place his company at the top of the speciality worldwide, and so he did. 

From that initial challenge until now, a hundred drivers have uncorked the champagne at the top of the podium thanks to their Honda bikes, and have accrued more than 800 victories in total.

In MotoGP, Honda has taken a total of 25 pilot titles, which makes them the most awarded team of all times. 

Honda & Dorna, happy with the deal

Noriaki Abe, Managing Officer, Motorcycle Operations, Honda Motor Co., said: “First, I would like to express my respect and gratitude to Carmelo Ezpeleta and everyone at Dorna Sports for their hard work in organizing races during the COVID-19 pandemic”.

“I am very pleased that we have renewed our contract to compete in MotoGP from 2022 to 2026. Honda has been competing in the FIM Grand Prix World Championship since 1959, and won its 800th grand prix last year”.

“Honda believes MotoGP racing is vital to our motorsports activities. MotoGP is the pinnacle of motorcycle racing – it allows us to develop various technologies, and through fierce competition, teach our engineers and nurture their skills”.

“With these engineers working on the development of production vehicles, Honda can create better products for its customers. Honda will continue to bring dreams and joy to its customers worldwide through its motorsports activities, including MotoGP”, the Japanese boss finished.

 

Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO, Dorna Sports, commented about the agreement with Honda:

“This important announcement brings great pride to MotoGP because Honda is one of the first names that comes to our mind when we think about motorcycling racing”.

“The Japanese manufacturer has been such an important part of the past, present and future of the MotoGP World Championship and this renewal reinforces, even more, the commitment between both parties.”, the Spaniard explained.

Images of Honda: Honda HRC.

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