Honda confirms Red Bull's return as factory MotoGP sponsor
Honda has confirmed Red Bull will return as a sponsor of its factory MotoGP team from the 2027 season. The multi-year deal will see Fabio Quartararo become the team's flagship rider, requiring him to end his personal Monster Energy sponsorship.
Honda confirmed on Thursday that Red Bull will return as a sponsor of its factory MotoGP team from the 2027 season. This marks a strategic recommitment ahead of the championship's shift to 850cc engines and Pirelli tyres next year. The multi-year agreement revives a partnership that originally ran from 2015 until 2023. Red Bull branding will feature prominently on the factory bikes, with reports suggesting a more prominent placement than in the previous deal. HRC president Koji Watanabe made statements regarding the renewed collaboration.
Red Bull's return follows its departure after Marc Márquez left the factory Honda squad at the end of 2023. The energy drink brand currently sponsors the factory KTM team and the Tech 3 satellite squad, but it is expected to disappear from Tech 3's bikes next year. Castrol will remain as the title sponsor for the Honda factory team. Outgoing HRC team manager Alberto Puig also added comments on the collaboration, which is seen as part of a broader period of reorganisation for Honda where marketing is taking on increased importance.
Quartararo to lead Honda's 2027 project amid sponsor transition
Fabio Quartararo is confirmed as Honda's flagship rider for the 2027 and 2028 MotoGP seasons. The 2021 world champion will complete the remainder of the 2026 campaign with Yamaha before joining the Honda factory project. His move necessitates a significant personal sponsorship change. Quartararo has been a Monster Energy athlete since his premier-class debut in 2019. Honda's factory-level deal with Red Bull takes precedence, meaning Quartararo's long-standing personal agreement with Monster Energy will end after the 2026 season.
Financial and contractual implications of the rider shift
Terminating Quartararo's Monster contract, which runs beyond 2026, involves compensation. Honda will cover the funds required to bring the rider's personal agreement to an end. The financial terms and timing of this arrangement have not been publicly detailed by Honda or the energy drink companies. Quartararo is expected to join Red Bull’s roster of athletes in January.
Broader sponsorship shifts across the MotoGP grid
The 2027 season will feature widespread changes to team liveries and sponsor alignments beyond the Honda deal. Monster Energy, which replaced Movistar as Yamaha's title sponsor in 2019, joined Aprilia as title sponsor halfway through the current season and maintains a smaller presence with the Ducati factory team. Monster's current agreement with Yamaha is expected to expire at the end of 2027.
Rumours suggest Red Bull could look to expand its presence to Ducati in the future, potentially bringing Marc Márquez and Pedro Acosta back into its fold after 2027. The grid continues to evolve. In the current 2026 championship, Jorge Martín leads with 306 points, 12 ahead of Marc Márquez, while Marco Bezzecchi is third on 264 points. Pedro Acosta recently won the Austrian MotoGP at the Red Bull Ring. Seven rounds remain in the season, with the Japanese GP at Motegi from 2-4 October, followed by the Indonesian GP at Mandalika one week later. Fabio Quartararo will complete the 2026 season with Yamaha before joining Honda's factory project in 2027.
