Alberto Puig believes that 'winning riders' will return to the 'improving' Honda in the coming years.
Honda HRC Castrol Team Manager, Alberto Puig, has insisted that 'winning riders' will soon want to ride for Honda again.
In recent weeks, the Honda RC213V has looked more and more competitive, with a wet race win at Le Mans helping the Japanese manufacturer.
There have also been recent reports that Jorge Martin wants to leave Aprilia come the end of the 2025 season. The reported manufacturer that the 2024 MotoGP World Champion wants to ride for is Honda.
"We are coming back, we are improving," Alberto Puig told El Periodico before the French Grand Prix.
"We have created a department in Italy with European technicians, Honda Japan has been restructured.
"The relationship between the factory, Europe and the circuit is fluid and we are working hard to have a competitive, winning bike again.
"Let no one forget that we are Honda and Honda will return. As Yamaha will return.
"And, when Honda comes back, when Honda has a winning bike, the winning riders will want to get on it and we will want to hire them.
"We would like it to be now, but everything takes time. How much? I don't know, but we're coming back, yes."
Honda's 2026 Rider Lineup Rumours:
Honda has become a hot topic when it comes to the 2026 MotoGP Rider Market; the factory team, in theory, will only have one free seat.
However, it appears that four different names are all being rumoured to ride for the Honda HRC Castrol squad.
Luca Marini's contract with the Japanese manufacturer will expire at the end of this season, so it is his seat that these riders are reportedly chasing.
The first and most recent rider we have already mentioned is the 2024 MotoGP World Champion, Jorge Martin.
Johann Zarco is also reportedly in the running to get a promotion from LCR Honda into the main factory HRC squad.
Pedro Acosta's name has also been floated about as the Spaniard reportedly wants out of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team.
Finally, is the two-time World Superbike Champion, Toprak Razgatlioglu, the Turkish rider wants to head to MotoGP and Honda is one of his preferred destinations.
