Sports · Motorsport · 14 hrs ago
Honda to field only Luca Marini at Australian MotoGP
Honda will field only Luca Marini at the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island this weekend.
His factory team-mate Joan Mir has missed four races and remains sidelined by an ongoing health problem.
Mir’s symptoms have affected his energy and performance for months, but doctors have not yet identified the cause.
Honda test rider Aleix Espargaró will also miss the race after arm problems during a test in Malaysia; he is due to have surgery in Spain.
Another Honda test rider, Takaaki Nakagami, is recovering from a broken collarbone, leaving the team without an available replacement.
The injuries and illness leave Honda short of the riders needed to field a full team, despite MotoGP rules requiring teams to provide a replacement in some circumstances.
Honda says Mir and his medical team will keep assessing his condition, but it has not given a date for his return.
Honda will field only Luca Marini at the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island.
Joan Mir remains medically unfit and will miss another race while his condition is assessed.
Honda test rider Aleix Espargaró will also be absent after developing arm pump during testing and requiring surgery.
Takaaki Nakagami is recovering from a broken collarbone, leaving Honda without an available replacement rider.
Honda said Mir’s return to competition is still being assessed.
- Who
- Luca Marini will be Honda’s sole rider; Joan Mir and the available test riders are sidelined.
- What
- Honda will field only one rider at the Australian Grand Prix.
- When
- This weekend; the articles were published on 21 October 2026.
- Where
- Phillip Island, Australia.
- Why
- Mir remains medically unfit, while Honda’s test riders are unavailable because of injuries.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Joan Mir retired from the San Marino GP and has not competed since.
Honda announced Mir would miss the Motegi and Mandalika races.
Aleix Espargaró withdrew from the main race.
Espargaró developed arm pump during a Sepang test and was set to undergo surgery in Barcelona.
Honda’s Australian GP preview confirmed it would field only Luca Marini.
- Honda’s Australian GP rider
- Luca Marini
- Venue
- Phillip Island, Australia
- Joan Mir’s last race
- San Marino GP, 13 September
- Aleix Espargaró’s condition
- Arm pump requiring surgery
- Takaaki Nakagami’s injury
- Broken collarbone
3 sources
What people are saying
Joan Mir and his medical team are working intensively to achieve his return to competition; however, they have considered that the Australian GP at Phillip Island comes too soon, so they will continue to assess his condition
Joan Mir and his medical team are hard at work to return the #36 to the circuit but have deemed the Australian GP in Phillip Island too early and will continue to assess his condition