Takaaki Nakagami will substitute the injured Luca Marini at the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello for the factory Honda squad. Marini is still recovering from a serious injury sustained during a test for the Suzuka 8 Hours in Japan. The Japanese team had initially raced with a single rider in Aragon due to a regulation allowance, but now they must appoint a replacement for Marini. Despite not being officially listed for the Italian GP, Nakagami is set to take Marini’s place, racing alongside teammate Joan Mir. Nakagami, who retired last season to pursue a career as a test rider for HRC, has only raced with the satellite LCR Honda team in the past. Despite this, he impressed as a wildcard in the French GP this season, finishing sixth. Honda’s other test riders this season are Aleix Espargaro and Stefan Bradl, but Espargaro has expressed a diminished desire to race. If Marini remains unavailable, Honda may turn to Espargaro, a three-time MotoGP race winner, to step in for the Italian rider.
Related posts
-
The Masterful MotoGP Talent Whisperer: A Remarkable Success Story Unveiled
A long wait for a MotoGP win ended last October - but one of the architects... -
Revving Up: LCR Honda Unveils Dynamic 2026 MotoGP Title Sponsorship for Diogo Moreira
MotoGP rookie Diogo Moreira to race under ‘Pro Honda LCR’ banner in 2026. -
The Evolution of Aleix Espargaro: From Disconnection to Dominance in MotoGP
Aleix Espargaro admits there were two halves to his first year as a Honda MotoGP test... -
Precision and Rituals: a Look Inside Pedro Acosta’s MotoGP Journey with Crew Chief Paul Trevathan
"We have a little intense moment" - Paul Trevathan explains what he tells Pedro Acosta on... -
Honda’s Dominance in MotoGP: What’s Next After a Historic 2025 Season?
Honda's progress with its bike in 2025 made it the first manufacturer to switch concession ranks... -
Intriguing Uncertainty: Johann Zarco’s Ambiguous MotoGP Future
Johann Zarco explains how Honda and a fresh “second breath” persuaded him to extend his MotoGP...
