In a demanding six-day testing session at Sepang, Moto2 champion Diogo Moreira completed his preparations for the upcoming MotoGP season, finishing 20th on the timing sheets. Despite trailing the leading lap time by just over two seconds, Moreira’s performance signals steady progress as he adapts to the premier class, riding the promising Honda RC213V machine.
Moreira registered a best lap of 1 minute 58.476 seconds, placing him 2.074 seconds behind Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez. Although this was a modest position, the young rider showed notable improvement compared to LCR Honda’s previous rookie Somkiat Chantra, who posted a 1m 58.129s last year. Moreira cut his own time by nearly two and a half seconds over the test period, finishing just behind fellow newcomer Toprak Razgatlioglu aboard the Pramac Yamaha, illustrating his growing command of MotoGP riding dynamics.
Building Confidence Through Consistent Progress
After the intense session, Moreira shared his exhaustion but remained upbeat about his development. He highlighted the team’s focus on creating a reliable setup, stating that repeated laps helped them understand the bike better.
“The progress was super nice. Day by day, the feeling was better,”
he said.
“I think we are in a good way,”
he confidently added, signaling positive momentum as the season approaches.
At just 21 years old, Moreira has shown maturity beyond his years. Emphasizing patience as key to success, he noted the invaluable support from his team and the importance of enjoying the journey ahead.
“Calm… we have all year to improve and learn. The team helped me a lot. So I’m super happy on this point. We need to keep going like this and for sure we need to enjoy,”
he explained, capturing the mindset of a determined competitor ready to take on MotoGP’s challenges.
Strong Belief in Honda’s Motorcycle Technology
Moreira expressed confidence in the Honda RC213V’s capabilities, despite limited interaction with his more experienced teammates during the test.
“It’s difficult to have some time to speak because at the end I have my work to do and they have their work to do,”
he acknowledged.
“But I think the bike is super good. We see Mir, also Marini, and Aleix [Espargaro] in the Shakedown was super fast.”
This endorsement of Honda’s machinery adds weight to the growing anticipation around the team’s competitive potential this season.
Johann Zarco, Moreira’s teammate, overcame early struggles with the new Honda setup to finish 16th overall, clocking a lap time 0.875 seconds faster than Moreira. Zarco’s progress reinforces optimism for LCR Honda as they prepare for a demanding campaign.
Upcoming Challenges and Season Expectations
Looking ahead, Moreira will participate in two further testing days at Buriram on February 21-22, followed closely by his highly awaited MotoGP race debut. Meanwhile, Somkiat Chantra, Moreira’s predecessor who has moved to Honda’s WorldSBK factory team, faces a setback after a training injury ruled him out of the Phillip Island season opener.
With the new season on the horizon, Diogo Moreira stands poised to demonstrate his rising talent on the world’s biggest motorcycle racing stage. The combination of his steady development and the Honda RC213V’s growing competitiveness sets the stage for a thrilling MotoGP journey. Fans and teams alike will be watching closely to see how Moreira leverages this potential into success as the year unfolds.
