Honda is finally experiencing the long-awaited upswing in MotoGP—with consequences, because only 19 points are missing and the manufacturer will lose its development concessions.
This means that Honda would no longer be in the same category as Yamaha, which currently still offers both factory teams all development benefits.
Two race weekends will decide the outcome
With two Grands Prix remaining in the 2025 season, the concession groups are due for reassessment. Since Dorna reintroduced the system in November 2023 to level the playing field between manufacturers in terms of development conditions, the classification of the brands has remained unchanged.
The system divides manufacturers into four groups: from Group A (most restrictions) to Group D (most freedom). Ducati is the only manufacturer in Group A and will remain there in 2026. Group B is currently empty and will remain so.
Honda is facing a decisive moment in MotoGP: after a significant improvement in performance in recent races, the manufacturer is only 19 points away from leaving the highest concession level (Group D).
Aprilia and KTM are in Group C. Group D is home to Honda and Yamaha, but only temporarily for Honda if its current form continues.
How the categorization works
Twice per season, at the halfway point and at the end, a review is conducted to determine which group a manufacturer falls into.
The decisive factor is the percentage of points scored in the constructors’ championship: over 85 percent means Group A, 60 to 85 percent means Group B, 35 to 60 percent means Group C, and under 35 percent means Group D. With 74 points still up for grabs, Ducati has 708 points, which corresponds to 95.6 percent of the points awarded so far.
Ducati therefore remains in Group A. No other manufacturer has reached the 60 percent mark, which is why no one is moving up to Group B this time either. Aprilia (47.9 percent) and KTM (43.9 percent) remain in Group C. Both are too far from the 60 percent mark required to move up to Group B.
Honda on the verge of promotion
Honda has collected 266 points in the races so far. That corresponds to 36.9 percent of the possible points. This puts the Japanese manufacturer just above the 35 percent threshold required to move from Group D to Group C.
In other words, if Honda scores at least 19 points in the final races of the season in Portimao and Valencia, the factory team will lose the benefits of the highest concession level. And the chances of that happening are good. In recent months, Honda has made steady progress and regularly scored points.
If, on the other hand, the team remains below 18 points, the share would fall to 32.6 percent and Honda would retain its generous freedoms in Group D. This would be possible if none of the four riders, i.e. Joan Mir, Luca Marini, Johann Zarco or Somkiat Chantra, finished in the points.
However, this scenario is statistically unlikely: this season, Honda has only scored less than 19 points four times in two consecutive race weekends, namely in Aragon and Mugello, as well as in Assen and at the Sachsenring. Since then, the team has scored more points in every double event.
Yamaha remains the problem child
The situation is different for Yamaha. The Iwata-based manufacturer currently has 29.8 percent of the possible points and would need to achieve at least 35 percent to move up to Group C. This would require 64 points in the last two Grands Prix – a goal that is unrealistic given the season so far.
Even Yamaha’s three best race weekends (Jerez, Sachsenring, and Barcelona) only yielded 20 points each. Even combined, these results are not enough to reach the required level. This means that Yamaha will most likely remain the only manufacturer in Group D in 2026.
