Losing MotoGP concessions would be “nothing but good news” for Honda, say riders

Luca Marini and Joan Mir say they would be delighted if Honda lost the best of MotoGP’s concessions next year, despite the potential impact on the RC213V’s development.

Honda, along with Yamaha, is currently ranked in Group D under MotoGP’s revived concession system, which provides struggling manufacturers with additional benefits in areas such as testing, engine usage and wildcard entries.

The Sakura-based manufacturer has taken full advantage of these allowances to drag itself out of its worst slump in MotoGP history, scoring victory in the rain-hit French GP and dry-weather podiums at Silverstone, Motegi and Sepang.

However, this has also had an knock-on effect, with Honda on the brink of losing Group D concessions for the 2026 season. If it scores just nine more points in this weekend’s Valencia finale, it will end up in the same tier as KTM and Aprilia next year.

However, Marini insists that Honda had actually set a goal of moving out of Group D at the end of the year, highlighting that the extensive testing allowances also place additional demands on riders.

“It's fantastic. This is a target that we have had since half-season,” said the Italian. “From mid-season, we saw that it could be possible to change the rank and everybody was pushing so hard to achieve this.

“Also, for us as factory riders, to have fewer events would be nice, because in these two years we used so much energy out of the GPs, and it's not easy. 

“Maybe it looks like it's just an advantage but sometimes it's not because you need to take another flight to stay out of home, another two-three days [away from home], and it's not so easy.

“I think it will be just better because at the end we have a very strong test team with Aleix [Espargaro] and Taka [Nakagami]. They are doing a fantastic job at this moment. So I'm really comfortable about this, and I will be just happy if we can achieve these points.”

Joan Mir, Honda HRC

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

Group D manufacturers are allowed to freely develop and introduce new engines during the season, while all others have to stick to the same specification as part of an engine freeze agreed for the start of the 2025 season.

However, with MotoGP set to switch to new 850cc power units in 2027, Marini said losing development freedom for 2026 is not a major concern.

“For 2026, the engine is not going [to change much]. The engine is this [spec] now, there is no more meaning to invest so much time and money on the new [2026] engine,” he said.

“I think we can be satisfied [with the engine we have now]. We will just ask some more little details on the engine for the Sepang test in winter, and then I think it will be the same.”

Mir, who has enjoyed a resurgence in the second half of the season, agreed that losing Group D concessions would be a reward for the Honda staff who have worked hard to turn around its struggling MotoGP project.

“If in the future we don't have concessions, it is because we deserve it. That's the reality,” he said. 

“We were in a moment where we didn't know what to do to be fast. Now, I think we found that correct line - that road, which is very long, but with work and everything, we can improve our actual package. 

“I think that we are on the way. It's true that the concessions played a big role in the last few years. But if we don't have it in the future, it will be nothing but good news for us.”