Honda’s Bold Move: Somkiat Chantra Set to Replace Takaaki Nakagami at LCR in 2025, Boosting MotoGP’s Southeast Asian Market

Honda's next surprising move in the MotoGP rider market seems logical

Somkiat Chantra rumored to make MotoGP debut with LCR in 2025

Rumors suggest that Somkiat Chantra might take over Takaaki Nakagami's spot at LCR Honda in 2025, potentially offering a significant advantage for MotoGP.

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Honda's young talent Ai Ogura is expected to join the Trackhouse Racing Aprilia team for the 2025 season, which appears to secure Nakagami's position at LCR.

Since beginning his Moto2 career with the team in 2018, Nakagami has consistently been part of Honda's lineup and has significantly contributed to the development of the problematic RC213V motorcycle over the past few years.

Although he wishes to stay, it appears that his position might be at risk from Thai rider Chantra.

At just 25 years old, the two-time Moto2 race victor is a key figure for MotoGP, as the Thai Grand Prix consistently attracts one of the largest crowds of the season.

Notably, Chantra won the Asia Talent Cup series back in 2016, and with Ogura also emerging from that program, it would significantly enhance Dorna Sports' presence in the Southeast Asian market.

"Chantra has secured victories in some races, and you have the support of the Thai market," stated Peter McLaren, the MotoGP editor for Crash.net, during the most recent episode of the Crash MotoGP podcast.

"He had previously won the Honda Asia Talent Cup, and it would be beneficial to see a former champion from that competition advance to MotoGP."

"There have been numerous champions from Red Bull Rookies and CEV, among other competitions. So, that would offer a somewhat different perspective."

Jordan Moreland, who manages social media for crash.net, remarked, “Discussing the Asia Talent Cup is fascinating, especially with former champion Chantra and Ogura, who also emerged from the same competition.”

"That’s a significant indicator for the series if they manage to have two riders transition from there and be the first to reach MotoGP."

"Having the Asian market make such a significant impact in MotoGP is a major achievement for Dorna and the feeder series, especially since it's mostly been just Nakagami and previously Hafizh Syahrin representing the region. The addition of these two newcomers would be quite remarkable."

If Chantra joins LCR, Nakagami may lose his MotoGP racing position and might also be excluded from the Honda team.

Honda currently includes Stefan Bradl in its team of testers and plans to bring on board Aleix Espargaro, a three-time grand prix victor, in 2025 after the Spanish rider retires from competitive racing.

Peter McLaren observed, "I believe we assumed that Taka Nakagami was secure because Ogura seemed to be heading in a different direction."

“But then Aleix is joining as a test rider too, so he's not just losing his position in the race. The question is, where will he go from here?”

“We naturally assumed he’d be the ideal candidate for the testing role since he can communicate with the Japanese engineers in their native language and other aspects. With Aleix stepping into the testing position, if they decide not to retain Nakagami, what will his plans be for next year?”

Chantra is entering a challenging scenario at Honda, yet the support from Idemitsu for that LCR team section will provide him with some stability and a period to adjust.

If Honda is open to the idea of completely dropping Nakagami, despite the significant advantage the Japanese rider provides by communicating with engineers in their native language, it might also indicate that the company is ready to adopt a much-needed change in its approach.

MotoGP journalist Lewis Duncan noted that it's important for Nakagami to communicate with the Japanese engineers.

“We’re currently in a phase where Japanese manufacturers are attempting to adopt a more European style.”

"I'm not sure if Chantra knows Japanese, but Honda’s decision to bring him on board could be an indication that they’re ready to move past the mindset that has hindered their progress for several years, causing them to end up in their current predicament."

"In a way, it seems like Honda is signaling their openness to change."

"We can't rule out the possibility that Chantra might excel; he could find that the bike matches his style perfectly. Given that this is a project supported by Idemitsu, there's a degree of job stability involved. Therefore, theoretically, he shouldn't face the harsh treatment that other young riders often encounter."

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