If there’s one thing that’s clear in the 2025 MotoGP season, it’s that Johann Zarco has been one of Honda’s standout riders. That strong form has many people believing he could earn a spot on Honda’s factory team in 2026. But as always in motorsport, there’s more going on behind the scenes.

Zarco is currently racing for Honda’s satellite team, LCR, where he was their top performer in 2024. And he’s kept that momentum going this year. After just three rounds of the season, he’s sitting sixth in the MotoGP standings with two top-10 finishes under his belt.

Honda’s big improvements in 2025 have turned heads. Suddenly, a spot on their factory team for next season looks very attractive.

At the moment, Joan Mir has a contract with Honda through 2026. However, his teammate Luca Marini is only signed until the end of this season. That creates a possible opening—and Zarco is a strong candidate. Still, other big names are also being linked to the seat, including KTM’s rising star Pedro Acosta and World Superbike champion Toprak Razgatlioglu.

Former MotoGP rider and current TNT Sports commentator Sylvain Guintoli believes Zarco has earned a promotion:
“He deserves it,” Guintoli told TNT Sports. “But it’s also political.”

He explained that Zarco already receives factory-level equipment and support while riding for LCR, thanks to his contract directly with Honda.
“So, for him, it’s more about prestige than technical advantage,” Guintoli added.

However, he also pointed out that Honda may want to use that high-profile seat to attract a younger or more high-profile rider:
“Honda might be saving that spot to bring in someone like Acosta or Toprak,” he said.

Despite the speculation, Guintoli believes Zarco is in a good place:
“He’s doing great and seems happy at LCR. And if you’re Lucio Cecchinello, the team boss, and your sponsors are pleased with Zarco, why would you want to let him go?”

Honda’s turnaround has been so impressive that their factory seat—once considered the least desirable in the paddock—is now seen as a top opportunity.

“They’ve completely turned things around,” Guintoli said.
“Last year, no one wanted to touch that bike. Even Ai Ogura, a promising young Japanese rider, turned it down because he wasn’t sure it would be competitive. What Honda has done is really impressive.”

LCR team boss Lucio Cecchinello recently confirmed that “Honda will make the final decision” about who rides for his team in 2026. He also acknowledged that while he’d like to keep Zarco, a move to the factory team would mean changing teams, engineers, and working environments—a tough switch, especially at 34 years old, making Zarco the oldest rider on the MotoGP grid.