Who is Aleix Espargaro replacing at Honda?

Aleix Espargaro is stepping in for Honda's factory rider, Joan Mir, who is injured and cannot race. Somkiat Chantra replaced Mir in Japan but was only confirmed for that round, and Honda's development rider Takaaki Nakagami broke his collarbone at Motegi, so Honda called up Espargaro.

Is Aleix Espargaro a full-time MotoGP rider?

No, Aleix Espargaro stopped racing full-time in MotoGP at the end of the 2024 season. His current job is as the official test rider for the Honda factory team.

What is a test rider in MotoGP?

A test rider is a skilled rider hired by a team to make their race bike better. They ride in private tests to try new parts and settings. They give information to engineers. Our guide explains in detail [what a test rider in MotoGP does](/what-is-a-test-rider-in-motogp/).

Can a substitute rider score championship points?

Yes, substitute riders can score points in both the Sprint race and the main Grand Prix, just like the usual riders. Any points they earn are added to their personal score. They also help the team and manufacturer in their championships.

Aleix Espargaro to Race for Honda in Indonesia

Honda test rider Aleix Espargaro will return to MotoGP for the Indonesian Grand Prix. He is stepping in for the injured Joan Mir at the factory Honda team.

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Experienced Spanish rider Aleix Espargaro will return to MotoGP racing at the Indonesian Grand Prix. He will ride for the factory Honda HRC Castrol team, filling in for their regular rider, Joan Mir.

Mir is still recovering from injury and will miss both the Japanese and Indonesian rounds. Somkiat Chantra stood in for him in Japan, but was only confirmed for that race. Then Honda’s development rider, Takaaki Nakagami, broke his collarbone in a crash at Motegi. So, Honda asked their official to step in.

Who is Aleix Espargaro?

Aleix Espargaro is a very experienced person in MotoGP. He had a long career and won three Grand Prix races. He stopped racing full-time at the end of the 2024 season. He took on a new challenge.

For 2025, he became Honda’s official test rider. In this job, he rides the team’s MotoGP bike in private tests. These tests happen away from race weekends. His goal is to help engineers make the bike better. To learn more about this important job, you can read our guide on what a test rider in MotoGP does.

Illustration for our Honda story: a test rider and engineers look at data in a pit garage. — AI-generated illustration

Why was he called up to race?

Teams in MotoGP must have two bikes racing at every event if they can. When a full-time rider is injured, the team usually finds another rider to fill in for the weekend.

Honda was in a tough spot when their factory rider, 2020 World Champion Joan Mir, was ruled out of Indonesia. Somkiat Chantra filled in for him in Japan but was only confirmed for that round. Takaaki Nakagami, who raced at Motegi as Honda’s wildcard, broke his collarbone in Friday and needed surgery. This left the team with an empty spot next to Luca Marini.

With two riders unavailable, Honda turned to Espargaro. He has lots of experience with modern MotoGP bikes. Also, his job is developing their bike. This made him the clear choice to step in quickly. The original plan had been for him to keep recovering from a back injury he suffered while testing, so this call-up brings him back sooner than planned.

What will his goals be for the weekend?

For a substitute rider, especially a test rider, the goals for a race weekend are often different from other riders. Every rider wants to get the best result. But Espargaro’s main job will be to collect information for Honda.

Racing offers a special way to test new parts. It also helps them see how the bike performs when pushed to its limits. He will collect information from the practice sessions, the , and the main Grand Prix. This data will be very useful for Honda’s engineers. They will use it to make the motorcycle better for future races.

So, his success won’t just be about where he finishes. It will be about the good information and data he can give to the team. He will do this throughout the weekend at the Pertamina Mandalika Circuit.

Illustration for our Honda story: the rear of a MotoGP bike showing its technical components as it leaves the pit lane. — AI-generated illustration

What does this mean in the bigger picture?

The 2026 season has been a tough one for the famous Japanese team, Honda. The fight for the championship is happening at the front. Meanwhile, Honda has been working hard to develop its bike. They want to start regularly fighting for top-three finishes and wins again.

Having a rider like Espargaro, with his recent experience and knowledge of the bike, is a big help for the team. It gives them another chance to see how well they are doing in the toughest racing environment.

While this is happening, the fight for the 2026 MotoGP world title is getting very exciting. The latest results show Aprilia’s Jorge Martin is just ahead of Ducati’s nine-time World Champion, Marc Marquez. This means the last races will be very close.

Illustration for our Honda story: two MotoGP bikes racing closely on track. — AI-generated illustration

Quick Takeaways

Experienced Aleix Espargaro will race for the factory Honda team in Indonesia.
He is filling in for regular rider Joan Mir, who is injured.
As Honda’s test rider, his main goal is to collect race information to help make the bike better.
He was called up during a season where Honda is rebuilding their team.
The main championship fight is still very close between Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez.