Moto2 World Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez is in line to ride a MotoGP bike for the first time after being reportedly called up by Trackhouse Racing to complete a day in the post-Aragon MotoGP test on Monday.
The Spaniard, who currently leads the Moto2 standings by three points, is one of a handful of prospective riders being tipped for an imminent switch to MotoGP for 2026.
According to reports - which have been confirmed by Trackhouse Racing boss Davide Brivio - Gonzalez has been offered the chance to ride the satellite Aprilia RS-GP during the Motorland Aragon test.
However, Brivio - speaking on MotoGP’s coverage during morning warm-up - insists it is ‘not 100 per cent’ certain to be happening as yet.
The test has been made possible by Trackhouse Racing having a bike available to ride due to absence of the injured Ai Ogura, who has not been substituted for this weekend’s race event.
For this reason, Brivio regards the offer of a test to be a ‘present’ and not an audition for 2026, going as far to say he was tempted to rescind the offer so as to ward off any speculation he is being considered for next season.
“It’s not 100 percent confirmed but yes, we are working on that, we are trying to define the details to see what is possible. It’s very simple. We had the bike here, there is a test day tomorrow and we thought maybe it would be nice to give an opportunity to a young rider to test a MotoGP bike.
“Manu Gonzalez is leading the championship in Moto2, so he is doing a good season and deserves it, but there’s no speculation we have both riders under contract. We’re not looking for a new rider, and Manu cannot race in Mugello, in case Ogura is not recovered.
“So there’s nothing more. We’re happy to make a present, a gift to a young boy, because we think testing a MotoGP bike is a unique opportunity.
“Unfortunately, we are aware it will also start some speculation, rumour. This is the annoying part – to be honest – which made us wonder whether it’s better to do or not. But in the end, we said, okay, it’s nice, let’s make a present, and that’s it.”
Trackhouse Aprilia at the heart of 2026 MotoGP silly season
Despite Brivio’s words, Trackhouse Racing does nonetheless find itself at the heart of an increasingly unpredictable ‘silly season’.
While both Ogura and team-mate Raul Fernandez are understood to have a contract in place for 2026, the former has been linked with a potential promotion to the factory team if Jorge Martin departs, while the latter is under pressure to improve his results.
While Ogura’s results have tailed off in recent races prior to his injury - sustained in a crash during practice for the British MotoGP - he was until recently Aprilia’s highest-ranked representative in the overall standings.
Regardless, the rookie - Moto2 World Champion in 2024 - has been a standout performer so far this year and is believed to have courted some attention from rival teams.
On the other side of the garage, Fernandez is in his third season with the team (formerly known as RNF Racing) but has struggled to demonstrate front-running form in that time.
With the form of Ogura and fellow Moto2 graduate Fermin Aldeguer appearing to validate the quality of riders in the intermediate class, it shines a light on those competing at the front in the series this year for a potential promotion.
As such, Gonzalez - formerly backed by Yamaha - is evidently a top candidate and has also been linked to a move to Pramac Racing for 2026.
Elsewhere in Moto2, Brazilian racer Diogo Moreira has also been linked with a deal to coincide with his nation’s return to the MotoGP calendar in 2026, while Jake Dixon has also been mentioned in relation to Trackhouse Racing.
