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-catching 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澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Luca Marini’s deal expires this year, so he is🦹 ꦰin danger of being replaced.

LCR Honda’s 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Johann Zarco has been the manufacturer’s fastest rider for some time and is hoping fཧor a promotion.

But both riders are in talks w𓄧ith Honda about what comes next.

"Yes, we have already started talking to Honda about t🧸he renewal,” Marini told Motorsport.com.

“But we are taking it easy, we are taking the time necessary to do things ♓propꦍerly. I am never worried.

"I am very happy with t🧸he dir🍌ection that has been taken. Now I can ride much more naturally.

“The bike is improving and a lot of work is being doꦜne.”

Marini has finished inside th🍌e top 10 in each of the past four🥀 grands prix.

It is a welcome improvement after finishing 22nd🃏 ov꧅erall last year.

Johann Zarco in 'positive talks' with Honda

But LCR satellite rider Zarco has shone even brighte🌸r and hopes to nab Marini’s seat.

“Talks are ♉very, very positive with Honda,” Zarco told Motorsport.com🍷.

“But [being] so clear with Lucio [Cecchinello] is so nice. To speak with him and be ♉100% honest.

“He knows that a chಞance to move up t🍒o the factory team is important for a rider; for a career also.

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

However Zarco, t🃏he oldest rider on the MotoGP grid, already profits from factory support while in the LCR garage. He is also already contracted directly to the manuf𒅌acturer.

As such, he stanꦚds only to g🔴ain 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澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:warned Zarco aga𝄹inst mak💮ing the leap.

“Iꦰ believe this is the correct environment and in my opinion it would bꦉe a pity to change completely,” Cecchinello said.

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

“But I want to say that here in LCR we have the same material, we have the same factory specifi🎐cation development and parts.”

Honda have also been strongly linked wit𒆙h looking outside their existing pool of riders.

Pedro Acosta and Toprak Razgatlioglu have been mentioned as signing, and ♌168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Honda reportedly dꦉream of fielding them both from their factory garage.

But Zarco, seventh in the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:MotoGP standings, is hard to ignore.

Zar🌱co was 12th fastest,🎃 Marini 11th, in Friday practice for the French MotoGP, the home round for the LCR rider.