Is Diogo Moreira about to make the leap to MotoGP? It’s not just his strong performances in Moto2 that make him a sought-after candidate
Diogo Moreira’s first Moto2 victory last Sunday in Assen has put the spotlight on a rider who is currently exploring several avenues to potentially make his MotoGP debut next season.
The Italtrans rider combines most of the key factors that make him a strong candidate for a rookie year in the premier class. His speed is backed up by his results on the track.
In addition, he represents Brazil, a country that will be back on the racing calendar next year. And he brings with him a long list of sponsors who are enthusiastic about him. All this gives him an advantage over other riders who are also hoping to make their MotoGP debut in 2026.
Sunday’s victory in the Netherlands made him the first Brazilian to win a Moto2 race. Given the 21-year-old from Sao Paulo’s development so far, this success seemed almost inevitable.
His triumph capped a series of three podium finishes in the last four races – a momentum that saw him score more points than any other rider over the same period.
After a bumpy start to the season, Moreira has now really woken up, and at the moment when it matters most for his future. He himself says: “I’m fully focused on Moto2 and what’s happening on the track. I leave everything else to the people who take care of it.”
Razgatlioglu and Moreira at Pramac?
By “the people,” he means, among others, his manager Diego Silvente, who was at Assen. And even though Moreira is reluctant to answer questions about his ambitions to move up to MotoGP as soon as possible, there are rumours in the paddock that several talks are underway in this direction.
The most concrete option sees him at Pramac, alongside Toprak Razgatliolgu, who comes from the Superbike World Championship. That would mean that both Miguel Oliveira and Jack Miller, the team’s current rider duo, would have to find new seats.
Miller is in talks about extending his contract, as his current contract expires at the end of the year. In Oliveira’s case, the situation is slightly different: he has signed a two-year contract with a performance-related clause.
This means that Yamaha could release him if he does not achieve a certain position in the World Championship standings by a certain date – a goal that has been made more difficult by injuries. Oliveira has already missed four races.
Moreira also benefits from the recently signed partnership with Yamaha Brazil, which confirms the brand’s interest in the South American market. In fact, he completed a test on a Yamaha R1 a few days ago at Balaton Park, where the 2026 World Championship will be held for the first time.
A Razgatlioglu/Moreira duo would transform Paolo Campinoti’s structure into a kind of “junior team” – exactly as Yamaha had originally intended.
Aprilia and Honda would also be an option
The ideal scenario for Pramac would be for Moreira to stay in Moto2 for another year, but already under their structures, before moving up to MotoGP in 2027. If he were to ride Moto2 for another year, Moreira would probably prefer to stay with his current team, where he feels comfortable.
In addition to Pramac, other options were explored in Assen, but these appear to be less advanced. One of them is Aprilia, who would like to sign him to Trackhouse. Moreira was one of the candidates to ride the RS-GP at the Aragon test. However, he declined, so Manuel Gonzalez took part in the test.
Another possible option is Honda, which is currently caught up in a “personnel reshuffle” and is waiting for a decision in the conflict between Martin and Aprilia.