Honda HRC Asia: New Team Names and Identity for Moto2 and Moto3 Starting 2027

Honda HRC Overhauls Moto2 and Moto3 Team Names to Clarify MotoGP Rider Pathway for 2027

Honda HRC is restructuring its presence in the support classes by renaming its Moto2 and Moto3 outfits ahead of the 2027 season to create a transparent, direct talent pipeline toward MotoGP. The changes, which move away from the long-standing separate branding frameworks, were rolled out ahead of schedule at the Mobility Resort Motegi during the Japanese Grand Prix.

Under the upcoming rebrand, the squad competing in the intermediate class will shift from IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia to Honda HRC Asia IDEMITSU. Simultaneously, the lightweight-class structure known as Honda Team Asia will transition to Honda HRC Asia. While the official administrative shift takes effect in 2027, both squads debuted the signature HRC tri-color livery—combining red, blue, and white—on their racing machinery at Motegi to signal the new corporate direction to the global motorsport paddock.

Historical Evolution from Regional Talent Cup to World Championship Paddock

The structural shift builds upon more than a decade of development efforts aimed at fostering Asian talent in international Grand Prix racing. The IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia program was originally established in the Moto2 category in 2013 with the explicit goal of discovering and cultivating riders capable of competing at the highest tier of motorcycle racing while simultaneously building a sustainable motorsport culture across Asia. Three years later, Honda expanded its footprint by introducing the Honda Team Asia operation in Moto3 to serve as a direct feeder platform into the intermediate class.

These two world championship programs connect directly with grassroots initiatives such as the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup—recently rebranded as the Idemitsu Moto4 Asia Cup. By aligning the nomenclature under the direct HRC banner starting in 2027, corporate leadership aims to eliminate ambiguity regarding how young prospects graduate from regional entry-level racing through Moto4, Moto3, and Moto2 before attempting to secure a seat in MotoGP.

Current Rider Lineups and Standings Heading into the Japanese Grand Prix

While the administrative restructuring establishes a unified brand identity for future seasons, the current 2026 lineups continue to represent nations across the region. In the Moto2 division, the squad fields Indonesian rider Mario Suryo Aji alongside Japan’s Taiyo Furusato. Meanwhile, the Moto3 garage features Indonesian teenager Veda Ega Pratama paired with Japanese competitor Zen Mitani.

Disway Malang reported that Veda Ega Pratama entered the Motegi weekend holding eighth place in the Moto3 world championship standings with 100 points, sitting just one point behind Malaysia’s Hakim Danish, who held 101 points in seventh place. That narrow margin extended into the rookie standings, where Hakim occupied second place with 101 points and Veda stood third with 100 points.

More on this story: Veda Ega Pratama Drops to Third in Moto3 Rookie Standings After Austrian GP Penalty