Luca Marini and Johann Zarco have extended their MotoGP deals with Honda, as Nick Cassidy joins Peugeot for 2026 WEC season.
Luca Marini –
Luca Marini will continue as a Honda HRC rider in the factory Honda HRC Castrol team for the 2026 MotoGP World Championship season. 2025 has seen the Italian take a significant step forward on the Honda RC213V, scoring points in every weekend he has started and more than tripling his points haul from 2024 after just 12 rounds. His best result to date is fifth, achieved at the Hungarian GP.
“I am very happy to make this announcement and remain with Honda HRC,” said Marini. “We have just been working on a few final details, both HRC’s management and myself have been aligned on the future for quite a while. I am completely invested in this project and determined to help Honda return to the front in the MotoGP World Championship.
“Since joining the team in 2024, we have continued to improve and work together in an ever-improving way. Working with a factory, and especially a factory like Honda HRC, gives you huge motivation as a rider. We have had a good season so far and the focus remains to continue improving until the very last lap in Valencia.”
Johann Zarco –
CASTROL Honda LCR is proud to announce that French rider Johann Zarco will extend his collaboration with the team for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Following two years of close cooperation under an HRC factory rider contract, the Japanese manufacturer has recognized that Zarco and LCR together represent a highly competitive sporting and technical package, combining extensive experience with consistently strong performance for Honda.
A key element of this continuation is that Johann Zarco’s agreement, which remains directly with HRC as in previous seasons, secures his status as a factory rider. This guarantees him access to the same technical specifications as the official factory team, with updates and developments provided in parallel. Furthermore, he will continue to represent the brand as an official rider in the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours.
These factors make CASTROL Honda LCR both honored and committed to continuing its collaboration with Johann Zarco. Throughout the 2024 and 2025 seasons, he has achieved milestones of great significance for the team, including his victory at Le Mans in May and a podium at Silverstone. His experience, professionalism, and determination reflect the core values of CASTROL Honda LCR and Honda itself, and the team looks forward to building on this foundation to pursue further success together in the coming years.
Johann Zarco – CASTROL Honda LCR rider: “I’m very pleased to confirm that I will stay with LCR for the next two years. This is important because we have big goals to achieve and great opportunities looking ahead to 2027. When I signed with Honda at the end of 2023, I didn’t expect to find that second wind, which gave me the energy to secure another two-year contract with them. We already achieved one victory with Lucio and the team, and it would be fantastic to experience that again, so we are determined to keep pushing for strong results. Over the past two years, Honda has provided LCR with great support, and we believe we can continue growing and developing the bike through our hard work. I’d like to thank HRC, LCR, and everybody supporting us.”
Lucio Cecchinello – CASTROL Honda LCR Team Principal: “Working with Johann is simply extraordinary; his professionalism is impeccable both on and off the track. We are pleased that HRC has renewed its trust in him for the next two years, and we are confident that his contribution to the development of the RCV in 2026 and 2027 will be crucial in our mission to bring Honda back to the top of the rankings. We are also proud to have been confirmed as a trusted partner of HRC in managing Johann and to continue being part of the Honda family.”
Nick Cassidy –
Before the summer break, Team Peugeot TotalEnergies achieved its best overall result of the FIA World Endurance Championship so far this season (P6 and P7) at the Interlagos circuit, where the PEUGEOT 9X8 #93 also crossed the 10,000 km milestone raced this season, with an average speed of 181 km/h. The French squad aims to maintain this positive momentum in Texas, at the Circuit of The Americas (5.513 km, counterclockwise), which hosts the North American round of the world championship.
“Despite resurfacing work done before the 2024 race, the track remains bumpy, which complicates setup choices,” explains Olivier Jansonnie, Technical Director of Peugeot Sport. “We will be particularly attentive to the weather conditions during the event. Indeed, the ambient temperature can be a real physical challenge for our drivers, not to mention the impact of track temperature on tyre choice. It is likely that teams will favor, at least partially, the Medium tyres to optimize performance, but tyre wear and degradation must not be overlooked, especially if temperatures are as high as they were in 2024.”
Absent from the Brazil round due to a scheduling conflict with the Berlin E-Prix, Jean-Eric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne are back in the PEUGEOT 9X8 since the 24 Hours of Le Mans last June. For this 6-hour race, Team Peugeot TotalEnergies will field its usual driver trios: Di Resta/Jensen/Vergne in the #93 and Duval/Jakobsen/Vandoorne in the #94.
Another internationally renowned driver will also be present in Austin with the French team. Double Formula E Vice-Champion, and Super Formula and Super GT Champion in Japan, New Zealander Nick Cassidy (31) will discover the PEUGEOT 9X8 during a test session organized the Tuesday following the race. “We are delighted to welcome Nick to the PEUGEOT program” says Olivier Jansonnie, Technical Director of Peugeot Sport.
“His experience in various disciplines, his technical approach, and his speed make him a valuable asset for the team. This session in Austin will be an important first contact with the PEUGEOT 9X8, ahead of his official entry into our full-time driver line-up for the 2026 season. Théo Pourchaire will also drive the PEUGEOT 9X8 during this test session.”
Excited to join the project, Nick Cassidy stated: “I’m very proud to be joining PEUGEOT for the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship. Racing for such an iconic brand in endurance racing — especially at the 24 Hours of Le Mans — is a dream opportunity. I look forward to contributing to the team’s ambitions and taking on the challenge ahead.”
[The story is as per press release]
