The 2026 factory Honda seat is suddenly coveted.

For two years, since Marc Marquez ended ꦿhis big-money contract early just to escape his below-par bike, the Honda has lacked the prestige🅷 of old.

But a run of eye-c🌱atching performances, and the promise of what might lie ahead, means there is now a race to land next year’s factory bike.

Joan Mir is contracted until the end of 2026 but factory teammate 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Luca Marini’s deal expires this y✃ear, so he is in danger of being replaced.

LCR Honda’s 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Johann Zarco has been the manufacturer’s fastest rider for some tiಞme and is hoping for ꧃a promotion.

But both ri꧃ders are ไin talks with Honda about what comes next.

"Yes, we have already started tal🐻king to Honda ab🌊out the renewal,” Marini told Motorsport.com.

⛦“But we are taking it easy, we are taking the time necessary to do things properly. I am never𝓰 worried.

"🅠I am very happy with the direction that has been taken.⛦ Now I can ride much more naturally.

“The bike is improving and a lot of work is bein♕g done.”

Mariꦇni has finished inside the top 10 in each of the past four grands prix.

It is a welcome ꦜimprovement after finishing 22nd overall last year.

Johann Zarco in 'positive talks' with Honda

But LCR satellite riderඣ Zarco has shone🔯 even brighter and hopes to nab Marini’s seat.

“Talks are v✨ery, very positive with Honda,” Zarco told Motorsport.com.

“But [being] so clear with Lucio [Cecchinello] is so nice. To spea💮k with him and👍 be 100% honest.

“He knows that a chance to move up to the factory team is important for a ride💖r; for a career also.

“As a fa🦂st rider [on a] Honda, it can be interesting to become this number one rider and I would like to make this step.”

However Zarco, the oldest rider on the MotoGP grid, already profits from factory support while in the LCR garage. He is als🎉o alrꦬeady contracted directly to the manufacturer.

As such, he stands only to gain the 🌳pride of representing a factory team. There is no other material benefit to leaving💦 LCR.

His LCR boss Lucio Cecchinello has, as a result, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:warned Zarco against making the leap.

“I believe this is the c🔴orrect environment and in my opinion it would be a pity to change completely,” Cecchinello said.

“I understand also his point of view, of course.

“But I want to say that he𓆏re in LCR we have the same m🐎aterial, we have the same factory specification development and parts.”

Honda haveꦗ also been strongly linked with looking outside their existi🧸ng pool of riders.

Pedro Acosta and Toprak Razgatlioglu have been mentioned as signing, and 168澳洲5🌊最新开奖结果:Honda reportedly dream of fielding them both from their factory garage.

But Zarco, seventh in the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:MotoGP standings, is hard to ignore.

Zarco was 12th fastest, Marini 11th, in Friday practice for the French MotoG꧒P, the home round for the LCR rider.