Honda HRC Castrol begin 2026 Season in Buriram
Chang International CircuitLuca Marini and Joan Mir have completed their final preparations for their latest campaign, the pair aiming to do the colours of Honda HRC proud on the 60th anniversary of their entry into the premier class.
The Chang International circuit will once again host the opening round of the MotoGP World Championship, the 4.55 kilometres of tarmac the first stop in a journey across 22 different circuits. Set to be a unique season as the era of 1,000cc motorcycles is set to come to a close, all four Honda riders eager to add to the 85 victories achieved by the Honda RC213V since its debut in 2012.
Having made impressive improvements from 2024 to 2025, Luca Marini is out to make another step this year and take his challenge to the podium positions. A steady off season allowed for plenty of data and feedback for the #10, he and his team in a strong position to adapt to the ever-changing reality of the MotoGP World Championship. Marini achieved 12th at the Thai GP in 2025, a result he’ll need to surpass to leave the weekend satisfied.
Joan Mir was a standout of the end of 2025 as he raced to two podiums and a number of competitive rides. With his motivation reinvigorated, he approached the pre-season with complete dedication and focus, making further gains with the Honda RC213V. Still looking for more after the five days of testing, the 2026 World Champion is eager to resume his fight at the sharp end of each and every race. Mir’s best result on the Honda in Thailand is 12th, achieved in 2023.
“My third year in the factory Honda HRC team and my motivation only keeps increasing. Everyone inside Honda has been working hard, not just over the winter but over the past few years and I am determined to reward their efforts this season. We’ve seen from the test more or less where we are, but in the heat of a full Grand Prix weekend anything is possible. Maximising our performance in Qualifying will be really important at this track, so that is our first focus. There are just a couple of small pieces we need to put together and I know we can be even stronger than how we ended 2025.”
“My third year in the factory Honda HRC team and my motivation only keeps increasing. Everyone inside Honda has been working hard, not just over the winter but over the past few years and I am determined to reward their efforts this season. We’ve seen from the test more or less where we are, but in the heat of a full Grand Prix weekend anything is possible. Maximising our performance in Qualifying will be really important at this track, so that is our first focus. There are just a couple of small pieces we need to put together and I know we can be even stronger than how we ended 2025.”
“If it’s your first season or your eighth season in MotoGP, you’re always excited for the first race! It’s been a long winter of training and from the personal side I am ready to go. Honda have made good progress with the RC213V and we found a few things during the test, but it’s important to keep focused and work at our maximum during this first weekend. Let’s start the season well and build from there, 22 rounds and 44 races is a lot of laps, and anything can happen. I think it’s going to be a very interesting year!”
“If it’s your first season or your eighth season in MotoGP, you’re always excited for the first race! It’s been a long winter of training and from the personal side I am ready to go. Honda have made good progress with the RC213V and we found a few things during the test, but it’s important to keep focused and work at our maximum during this first weekend. Let’s start the season well and build from there, 22 rounds and 44 races is a lot of laps, and anything can happen. I think it’s going to be a very interesting year!”