Honda turns to recovering Aleix Espargaró as injuries leave it short of riders

Summary

Aleix Espargaró has been called up to replace Joan Mir in Indonesia, according to reporting by Motorsport.com.
Nakagami’s collarbone fracture and Chantra’s WorldSBK commitments reduced Honda’s options.
Espargaró is still recovering from a spinal injury sustained during testing at Sepang.

Honda has turned to Aleix Espargaró for the Indonesian MotoGP round, with Joan Mir still unavailable and Takaaki Nakagami injured. According to information obtained by Motorsport.com, the test rider has been asked to arrange his trip to Mandalika for next weekend.

The call-up changes Honda’s recovery plans for Espargaró. The Spaniard suffered a serious injury at the base of his spine during an April test at Sepang and returned to riding at Mugello two weeks ago, after five months of rehabilitation.

Nakagami’s accident at Motegi removed another replacement option. The Japanese rider fractured his left collarbone in Friday’s opening practice, ending his home wildcard appearance.

Why Honda needs Espargaró in Indonesia

Mir’s absence covers both Japan and Indonesia. Honda selected Somkiat Chantra to ride his bike at Motegi, but the Thai rider has WorldSBK commitments at Estoril next weekend.

With Chantra unavailable and Nakagami injured, Honda has called on Espargaró. His return would be his first Grand Prix appearance since 2025, when he began racing for the manufacturer alongside his testing duties.

Nakagami’s injury also affects Honda’s 2027 project

The shortage extends beyond filling a race seat. Honda is developing its new 850cc motorcycle for 2027, and Nakagami has carried a significant share of that work.

Honda also has two test days planned in Malaysia after the Indonesian round. If those sessions proceed, Espargaró is the likely rider to continue development, adding testing responsibilities to his return to competition.

The immediate challenge is therefore to cover Mir’s absence while managing Espargaró’s recovery and maintaining progress on the next-generation machine.

MotoGP continues this weekend, from 2–4 October, in Japan. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover all the action at Motegi.

MotoGP today: FAQ

What time does the Japanese MotoGP race start?

The race starts on Sunday, 4 October, at 14:00 JST: 06:00 BST in the UK, 01:00 EDT in eastern US and Canada, 10:30 IST in India and 16:00 AEDT in Sydney and Melbourne. In Los Angeles and Vancouver, it begins at 22:00 PDT on Saturday, 3 October.

Can Marc Márquez take the MotoGP championship lead in Japan?

Yes. Márquez trails Jorge Martín by seven points after winning Saturday’s Sprint. If Márquez wins Sunday’s race and Martín finishes third or lower, Márquez takes the lead. Second place for Márquez and fourth for Martín would also be enough: they would draw level on points, with Márquez ahead on the Grand Prix victory tiebreak.

Why has Michelin withdrawn the soft rear tyre at Motegi?

Michelin withdrew the soft rear tyre after problems during Saturday’s Sprint, including those affecting Jorge Martín and Francesco Bagnaia. The medium and hard options remain available, but Michelin recommends the hard and has warned that the medium still carries risks.