Marquez advised MotoGP graduate Moreira on Honda move

Two days after his MotoGP debut for 2026 was officially confirmed, Diogo Moreira has revealed that he sought advice from Marc Marquez during the decision-making process, and that the world champion encouraged him to sign with Honda.

Honda’s announcement on Tuesday had a double impact on the championship. On one hand, it confirmed a deal that had been in place for several months, with only minor contractual details delaying the official confirmation. On the other, Moreira’s signing with LCR Honda finalised the 2026 MotoGP grid, leaving no open seats.

The Brazilian rider remains focused on his current Moto2 campaign, where he is locked in a title battle with Manuel Gonzalez. The Spaniard leads by just nine points after being disqualified from the last round in Indonesia due to an electronic irregularity.

Moreira will join Lucio Cecchinello’s LCR squad on a three-year contract structured as a 2+1 deal — with the optional final year (2028) dependent on his performance in the 2027 season.

The agreement is the result of strong interest from HRC, which initially trailed Yamaha in pursuing the Sao Paulo-born rider before ultimately securing his signature.

“It’s not that the announcement took a weight off my shoulders, but it’s true that I feel more relaxed now and can fully focus on finishing the Moto2 season in the best way possible,” Moreira told Motorsport.com in the Phillip Island paddock. “I wanted it to be official because people were starting to ask me a lot of questions.”

Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images

One of the hottest prospects in the intermediate class, Moreira has attracted major attention not only for his talent but also for the excitement he generates in Brazil — a country set to rejoin the MotoGP calendar next year. That made him a priority target for Honda.

“I chose Honda because of what it represents,” he explained. “It has so many MotoGP titles, and that made my decision easier from the beginning. Of course, I’m very grateful to the other teams that showed interest in me.”

The #10 rider admitted that he was confident about his future once HRC approached him — and even more so after consulting with the Japanese marque's most successful rider of all time.

“I spoke with Marc, who has always helped me — first when I came to Spain, and later when I entered the world championship. I hope that continues,” said the Italtrans rider, who often trains with Marquez when the Spaniard rides at certain circuits with sportbikes.

“I asked him about several specific things I had to consider. Marc spent ten years with Honda, so there was no better person to ask for advice. I already wanted to go to Honda, but Marc reassured me that it was the right choice."