The final grid puzzle piece for next year is firmly in place, with Diogo Moreira waiting all the way until the Japanese Grand Prix to receive formal confirmation of his promotion to Honda’s factory squad. Fresh off being officially crowned the top rookie of the year, the Brazilian rider sat down for an interview with Motorsport.com at Phillip Island to discuss his ambitions for the upcoming factory seat and a two-year contract.
Looking ahead to next season, Moreira points to promising signs from recent testing. Based on the lap times logged during the test in Austria, he suggests that Honda could genuinely fight for the world championship next year, though he acknowledges that true comparisons must wait until everyone hits the track in Malaysia. With new regulations and tyres arriving, he stresses the critical importance of arriving at the opening grands prix fully prepared, drawing a parallel to how Ai Ogura and Sergio García flew out of the blocks when Pirelli introduced tyres to Moto2.
The transition to the factory team also pairs him alongside Fabio Quartararo, a world champion whom Moreira regards as one of the best on the grid. He views the partnership as a valuable challenge that will help elevate his own riding and push the team forward. Reflecting on the timeline of his signing, Moreira admits he was never in a hurry and felt relaxed because his results spoke for themselves, even if a sprint podium in Japan added momentum before his Sunday crash.
Stepping up to a factory setup naturally brings heightened expectations and heavier workloads, but Moreira insists the extra pressure serves as pure motivation. He is treating the remainder of the current campaign as an extended pre-season, focusing on his physical and mental conditioning so he can handle the increased responsibilities. At the same time, he notes that his rookie journey through a satellite structure was the logical path, and he expects David Alonso to thrive under similar conditions next season.
Reflecting on his debut premier-class campaign, Moreira admits one major reality check caught him off guard: the sheer dominance of the machine over rider input. Unlike Moto2, where a competitor can bend the bike to their will and force a difference, MotoGP leaves riders hitting a hard ceiling where no amount of extra effort can overcome a machine's limits. Fortunately, he is optimistic that the upcoming new engine and aerodynamic rules will change that dynamic, giving riders back the physical influence to make a true difference on track.
