Following Joan Mir’s medical withdrawal from the Japanese and Indonesian rounds and Takaaki Nakagami’s Motegi collarbone harm, Honda HRC has referred to as up take a look at rider Aleix Espargaro alongside Luca Marini for Mandalika, with Motegi stand-in Somkiat Chantra sure for WorldSBK responsibility in Estoril.
Espargaro will make his first MotoGP race look of the 2026 season, his first begin because the 2025 season finale in Valencia, the place he concluded a restricted five-race programme with a greatest end of 16th in Assen.
The veteran Spaniard’s return comes after an arduous restoration from a significant crash throughout testing at Sepang in April, the place he suffered 4 fractured vertebrae. Though his bodily situation remains to be progressing again to 100%, Espargaro proved to be HRC’s sole remaining choice for Spherical 17.
Joan Mir out of Indonesian GP
In the meantime, Joan Mir stays resting at dwelling underneath medical recommendation from Dr. Angel Charte and his staff at Dexeus College Hospital as he undergoes exams for an ongoing sickness that has severely impacted his power ranges.
Honda’s various alternative choices have been dominated out by conflicting commitments and contemporary accidents. Somkiat Chantra, who stepped in at Motegi to safe a career-best P15 in qualifying and rating three Sunday factors, is unavailable because of prior commitments in Estoril for Spherical 11 of the WorldSBK Championship, the place he races full-time for Honda.
Furthermore, Honda wildcard rider Takaaki Nakagami was sidelined after sustaining a fractured left collarbone throughout final weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix in entrance of his dwelling crowd.
Stepping in alongside Luca Marini for Spherical 17 of the 2026 season, Espargaro must stand up to hurry quickly at Mandalika, a monitor the place he final raced throughout his ultimate full-time marketing campaign with Aprilia in 2024, struggling a DNF in the primary race.
“In fact, it’s at all times an ideal honour to affix the manufacturing unit Honda staff in MotoGP, and I wish to say thanks to them for trusting me to experience whereas Joan and Taka recuperate, Espargaro famous.
“After the crash at the beginning of the 12 months and my harm, I’ve not had as a lot time on the bike as I would love, and we journey to Mandalika with sensible expectations, as I’ve had solely a small variety of laps and it’s a extremely bodily monitor earlier than we even converse in regards to the climate.
“Let’s perceive how we are able to greatest assist the staff and Honda this weekend and give attention to that.”