Chantra called up by Honda to stand in for injured Mir at Motegi
The short version
- Joan Mir is medically unfit for the Japanese and Indonesian Grands Prix in early October.
- Somkiat Chantra will substitute for Mir at Motegi with the factory Honda team.
- Chantra is confirmed for Japan only due to a World Superbike clash at Estoril.
- Takaaki Nakagami, who replaced Mir in Austria, will race as a wildcard at Motegi.
- Aleix Espargaro is a possible stand-in for the Indonesian round.
The Thai rider leaves World Superbikes briefly to rejoin the MotoGP grid with the factory Honda squad for the Japanese Grand Prix.
Somkiat Chantra will make a return to the MotoGP paddock after Honda named him as the replacement for the injured Joan Mir at the Japanese Grand Prix. Mir has been ruled out of the next two rounds, covering the races in Japan and Indonesia in early October.
Chantra's stint is currently confirmed for Japan only. The Indonesian round at Mandalika clashes with the penultimate World Superbike weekend of the season at Estoril, scheduled for 9-11 October, where Chantra rides for the factory Honda team.
The Thai rider spent six seasons in Moto2 from 2019 to 2024, taking two wins and six podiums across 106 starts. He stepped up to MotoGP in 2025 with LCR, replacing the retired Takaaki Nakagami, and finished his lone premier-class campaign with seven points and 26th in the standings.
His 2026 move to World Superbikes began badly, with a pre-season injury at Sepang requiring surgery and slowing his adaptation to the Honda CBR1000RR-R. He currently sits 20th in the standings with 10 points, ahead of team-mate Jake Dixon.
Honda turned to Chantra because Nakagami, who stood in for Mir at the Austrian GP, will race as a wildcard with the Honda Test Team at Motegi. The team has yet to name a replacement for the Indonesian round, where Aleix Espargaro, now recovered from a serious back injury, is one possible option.
