Spanish oil company Repsol will replace Liqui Moly as the exclusive lubricant supplier in the Moto2 and Moto3 classes from the 2026 season onwards.
At the end of May last year, Motorsport.com exclusively reported that Spanish oil company Repsol would not be renewing its contract with Honda’s MotoGP team.
This partnership began in 1995 with Mick Doohan and Alex Criville as figureheads and produced a total of 15 world championship titles, 183 victories, and 455 podium finishes in 30 years. Repsol confirmed the news of its withdrawal more than three months later in a brief statement.
It was a very discreet way to end the most successful and longest-running sponsorship in the history of the championship. The commitment had already lost visibility after Marc Marquez moved to Gresini.
However, everything now indicates that Repsol will only be taking a one-year hiatus, as the brand will return to the World Championship in 2026. However, this will not be with Honda, as the manufacturer quickly found a new partner in Castrol for fuels, nor will it be in MotoGP. Repsol will be the sole lubricant supplier for the Moto2 and Moto3 classes. In contrast to the premier class, where each team is free to choose its own fuel and lubricant partners, there are single suppliers in the smaller classes.
In recent years, Liqui Moly has been the official lubricant supplier. The German company’s contract had originally been extended until the end of 2027, but Liqui Moly and Dorna will now end their collaboration two years earlier than planned.
Liqui Moly is nevertheless set to remain associated with MotoGP. For example, the brand is the title sponsor of the race at the Sachsenring and also at Phillip Island this coming weekend. Petronas remains the exclusive fuel supplier for the Moto2 and Moto3 classes.
MotoGP is currently in a decisive phase in many respects. Sponsorship in particular plays a central role in commercial development. It remains to be seen what strategy Liberty Media will pursue in the future. Liberty Media has been observing the processes, asking questions, and analyzing processes and structures. A group of executives, including several representatives from the auditing firm Ernst & Young, was on site at the races in Barcelona and Misano.
Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula 1, was also present in Misano. Derek Chang, president and CEO of the US media group, traveled to Motegi, where he made his first appearance in the MotoGP paddock. It is clear that MotoGP is a top priority for Liberty Media.
