Honda confirm Red Bull return after three-year MotoGP separation

The news comes as a huge boost for Honda, who lost Red Bull to KTM when Marc Marquez departed the team in 2024 for Gresini Ducati.

The move shows the star power of Frenchman Fabio Quartararo, who will be joining Honda next season as a world champion with Yamaha.

It could also seal Diogo Moreira’s fate, with the Brazilian signed to HRC, but whether he will be racing for the factory team or satellite squad LCR is yet to be confirmed.

The reigning Moto2 champion is a prominent Red Bull athlete and opens various marketing opportunities in South America.

HRC President Koji Watanabe said in a statement: “Honda HRC and Red Bull are two companies who are very familiar with each other in many forms of racing, and I am delighted to restart our collaboration in MotoGP.

Team Manager Alberto Puig added: “As MotoGP prepares to enter a new era with new machines, new rules and new targets as a World Championship, we reunite with Red Bull.

Energy drinks make up much of the major sponsorship in MotoGP, and in 2015 Red Bull purchased 30 per cent of the advertising space on Marquez’s Honda, staying with the team until the end of 2023.

Now at Ducati’s factory squad, Marquez wears Monster branding, but it’s also been reported that the brand will become Aprilia’s title sponsor from 2027.

That marks the end of its run in the same role with Yamaha and Quartararo.

Yamaha are believed to have approached Red Bull, but found they were already in advanced negotiations with Honda for 2027.

As good as the news is for Honda, it’s less than ideal for KTM. Reports also claim that Red Bull’s poor relationship with Tech3 satellite CEO Guenther Steiner factored into their decision to part ways with their fellow Austrian brand.