Honda Shifts Focus to 2027 Rules, Marini Says
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 4, 2026
Honda development shift
Luca Marini says Honda’s push this season has slowed because the factory has shifted development toward the next rules change. He called it a pity after Honda made major gains from the previous year, finished last season with two podiums and moved out of concession Rank D. The RC213V has only managed a best finish of fifth this season, and Honda has scored 29 fewer constructors’ points than it had at the same stage last year. Marini said the bike now has a stronger base and the garage carries a stronger atmosphere. He also said Honda is still “missing some little pieces” to turn that work into better results. Even with the missed step forward, he said the team still needs weekend chances to fight at the front. That sets a clear picture of where Honda stands. The progress is real, but the factory has traded some short-term performance for a longer view. Marini said he understands the decision.
Marini on Honda lineup
Honda’s rider picture is changing too. Marini and Joan Mir are set to lose their factory Honda seats to a new HRC lineup, and Marini is headed to Tech3 KTM next season. Honda has already signed David Alonso, and the factory has not announced whether Alonso or Diogo Moreira will take the other seat in its MotoGP lineup. The new HRC pairing is expected to include Fabio Quartararo and one of those two riders. Marini backed both Moreira and Alonso for the spot and said both are highly talented. He added that Moreira is riding well in MotoGP right now. The move marks a reset for Honda, one that fits the factory’s focus on the next rules change. That makes the seat battle one of the key decisions ahead for the factory.
Moreira’s Honda case
Moreira’s case is the most detailed of the two. He joined Honda this season on a contract that includes an automatic third year only if he is promoted to the factory team. He can leave for the following season if that promotion does not come. At LCR, Moreira has been Honda’s strongest rider this year. He has five top-10 finishes and a best result of sixth in Hungary. At Aragon, he qualified 10th, finished as the top Honda rider and beat all of Yamaha’s riders. Those results give Honda a clear reason to keep him in the conversation. They also fit Marini’s view of the market. He said either Moreira or Alonso would be a good fit for the seat and repeated that both have the kind of talent Honda needs. For Honda, the decision reaches beyond one open spot. It ties into the factory’s larger plan, the work it has already put into the bike and the next phase of development. Moreira’s recent pace gives the team a current benchmark. Alonso’s status as an announced signing gives Honda another path. The factory now has to decide which rider best matches where it wants to go next.
