Johannes Zarco has been offered a new two-year contract by Honda in 2025, keeping him at LCR until at least 2027. However, some team managers are not happy about this.
The Frenchman finished 12th in 2025 in an inconsistent year. He started the season well. Honda Their first home win since 2023 at Le Mans.
Zarco’s win is one of the highlights of the season.And followed up with P2 at Silverstone. But after the British GP, he would finish in the top 10 just twice for the rest of the year.
even if Zarco He finished as Honda’s top rider in the championship, beating Luca Marini by just six points. In the year He’s under contract through 2027, making him out of sync with the current contract cycle.
The conditions of his contract suggest that they were not at all in the decision. HRC chief Alberto Puig was not involved in Zarco’s negotiations. Or the decision to keep it.
Some Honda executives were ‘surprised’ that Johan Zarco was given a two-year contract at LCR.
Journalist Neil Morrison discusses Zarco’s contract. Paddock Pass Podcast. Some Honda managers are unhappy about being offered a new contract, which will see the Frenchman get paid and move to World Superbikes.
“I can see some movement inside me LCR. For example, Yohannes Zarco has a two-year contract until 2027.
But when you think about his results, when you look at his trajectory, and when you think about Honda and the ambitions that Honda is showing, I can see Zarco maybe being paid to go and ride in the Honda test team or maybe even go through the World Superbikes.
| group | Bicycle | Rider 1 | RIDER 2 |
| Aprilia | Aprilia RS-GP | George Martin | Marco Bezecchi |
| Tracking house | Aprilia RS-GP | No. Ogura | Raul Fernandez |
| Ducati | Ducati Desmosedici | Mark Marquez | Francesco Bagnaia |
| VR46 | Ducati Desmosedici | Fabio D’Giantantonio | Franco Morbidelli |
| Gresini | Ducati Desmosedici | Alex Marquez | Fermin Aldeguer |
| Honda | Honda RC213V | Joan Mir | Luca Marini |
| LCR | Honda RC213V | Johann Zarko | Diogo Moreira |
| KTM | KTM RC16 | Pedro Acosta | Brad Binder |
| Tech3 | KTM RC16 | Maverick Vinales | Ine Bastianini |
| Yamaha | Yamaha YZR-M1 | Fabio Quatararo | Alex Rin |
| Pramak | Yamaha YZR-M1 | Toprak Razgatlioglou | Jack Miller |
“So yes, that’s probably in his place, they’ll make room for someone like Luca Marini, because there’s probably no room in the inn at the Honda factory team.
“So maybe Zarco, even if he’s under contract for next year, I’d say maybe that’s something to keep an eye on.
I hear there are members of Honda management who are not impressed that Zarco has been given a two-year contract, especially at a time when things are very crazy in the rider market and there are a few interesting young people about to leave Moto2. So I think that also exacerbates that suspicion.
Read more: Everything you need to know about Johan Zarco from career stats to net worth
Former Honda team principal Livio Suppo would not sign Johannes Zarco to a two-year contract.
Zarco is reported to earn £3.5m per year at LCRBut the results are definitely inconsistent, especially in 2025. The former Honda team principal, Livio Suppo, did not keep it for two years.
“My first rider was (Tohru) Ukawa-san. When I was in the Benetton team, they told the rookies, we’ll give them three years,” he said. Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast.
“The first season they just need to learn, the second season they start to show something, the third season they have to fight for the title.
“It’s okay to win but they must be in that position. If not, ciao, this, I think, is a difficult course with young riders, with more experienced riders.
“For example, with respect to Zarco, but because of his age and his record, he’s won one race whether we like it or not. No, OK, now two because he won with Honda last season.
But under normal circumstances he won one race in his life and it was under normal circumstances, let’s just say Martin’s tire choice was wrong at Phillip Island. He is 36 years old, will you sign him for two years? Personally, no.
