Gresini announce all-new Spanish rider lineup for 2027

After months of rumour and speculation, another massive piece in the MotoGP 2027 rider line-up jigsaw puzzle has now been revealed. Honda HRC's Joan Mir will join the team following his crash-filled streak, while Dani Holgadado will make the step up from Moto2's Aspar team.

The announcement came this morning via Gresini's social media channels, and was confirmed with a farewell message from Honda to Mir, thanking him for his services which have brought home two podiums across the last three and a half seasons. Mir, who is a former MotoGP World Champion from the 2020 season, will get Alex's primary bike while Holgado will take over from Aldeguer.

It's safe to say the Joan Mir's time at Honda hasn't exactly gone to plan. After winning a somewhat bizzarre championship title during the shortened 2020 season, there were hopes that Mir would bring similar success to the Japanese team. Despite showing glimpses of promise, including a podium at Honda's home Grand Prix, Mir's tenure has been marked by a staggering frequency of crashes.

Over the course of three and a half seasons, Mir has crashed in close to 60% races, though when he has finished, he has typically done so within the points. His style is marked by an aggressive 'win it or bin it' mentality, which means that his potential for good results is relatively high but comes with the risk of very costly crashes.

Gresini have decided to take the gamble on Mir, and the number 36 will be hoping a fresh start in the Ducati ranks to move on from what has become a negative spell in his career.

By contrast, Gresini have also opted to go for youth over experience with the addition of Moto2's Daniel Holgado. The 21-year-old is perhaps the least proven of the younger talents who have been linked with MotoGP moves next year. Currently sitting 6th in the Moto2 class behind his teammate David Alonso, Holgado has just a single race win this year and doesn't have the championship accolades that Alonso, Gonzalez and Guevarra have racked up throughout the junior ranks.

Nonetheless, Holgado's talents are undeniable and, when he is in form, he seems to be practically unbeatable on his day. His best championship finish was 2nd in Moto3, behind Alonso, while in Moto2 a serious title challenge has yet to materialise.

That is clearly irrelevant to Gresini, who see great potential in the youngster and seemed keen to announce him even before announcing Mir. With plenty of time left in the season, there is still every chance that Holgado could be up there when it comes to challenging for the Moto2 championship at the tail-end of the season.