MotoGP Rider Market: With Alex Rins to LCR Honda confirmed, will Joan Mir be the next domino to fall?
After signing a two-year deal with LCR Honda, Alex Rins has become the latest MotoGP rider t๊o secure his Grand Prix future.&🧸nbsp;
Before the summer break, moves involving Jack Miꦰller to Red Bull KTM, Alex Marquez to Gresini🤪 Ducati in place of Enea Bastianini and Fabio Di Giannantonio staying at Gresini were all confirmed.
Aprilia also locked up its factory riders Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales for another two seasons, a no-brai🍌ner especially when it comes to Espargar🃏o who is a firm title contender.
For Marquez and Di♍ Giannantonio, bot꧑h riders will be racing year-old GP22 machines next season, while Rins will be on full factory machinery at Honda.
But what does Rins joining Honꦬda mean for thoseไ who are still without a contract?
Well, it rules out the already small possibility that Rins could have joined the new RNF Aprilia project, thus making it even more likely that Miguel Olivei💜ra will be the team’s first signing for 2023.
The Portuguese rider had been linked to Gresini Ducati before Marquez joined the team, and although LCR Honda was rumoured as another potential option for the KTM riderꩵ, Oliveira to RNF Aprilia is a deal we expect to be announced soon.
Who will ride alongside Oliveira is the big question. Several Moto2 riders have been linked to that seat, although the favourite appears to be Raul Fernandez who would finally get his w🍨ish of leaving Tech 3 KTM should that happen.
What’s the latest at Ducati?
💟As was the case before the summer ✅break, the battle to be Francesco Bagnaia’s team-mate is and will remain a two-way fight between Jorge Martin and Bastianini. Whoever loses out will partner Johann Zarco at Pramac.
Although there’s been little 𒉰in the way of update💮s surrounding Valentino Rossi’s Mooney VR46 team, both Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi are expected to stay.
Mir to Repsol Honda the next big MotoGP move to happen
With most of the fact🎃ory seats confi📖rmed - only Ducati and Honda have openings left - a decision on who will partner Marc Marquez should come relatively quickly.
Havingꦕ signed Rins to its LCR team, Mir to Repsol Honda looks set to be the next announcement to take place from the Japanese manufacturer, with the Spaniard also set to sign a two-year deal.
It’s clear that Pol Espargaro’s MotoGP future lies away from Honda - a return to KTM with Tech 3 has been discussed - and with no other riders thoug🅠ht to be in contention, Mir to Repsol is the expected move.
Alongside Rins at LCR, Ai Ogura and Takaaki Nakagami remain the tꦇwo riders in con💃tention.
