With Joan Mir confirmed by Gresini, it remained to know if HRC was going to renew Luca Marini or if, as seemed more evident, they were going to choose to have two new drivers for the 2027 season. Now the doubt has been resolved, as the Japanese manufacturer has confirmed that in the new era of the 850 it will have two new drivers.
Furthermore, he will do so following the philosophy that has already proven so effective in the LCR, the satellite team, where he has combined experience with youth. Of course, in this case there are different nuances because although Johann Zarco is the oldest driver in the category by age, the new HRC driver is not even thirty.
What Johann Zarco does share with one of the new HRC pilots is nationality. And, as all the rumors have been pointing out for months, Fabio Quartararo will be the one to get on the official team’s bike. This has been communicated through a brief press release in which the Frenchman’s previous successes are reviewed from the FIM CEV to the 2021 title and his victories and it is confirmed that he will race with HRC in 2027 and 2028.
There are no statements or any other type of information in this regard, something shocking because although it is logical that Fabio cannot speak or appear in photos due to contractual reasons, what is not so common is that the brand itself has not had a spokesperson in charge of publicly welcoming the Frenchman.
HRC completes its squad with future value
The second of HRC’s announcements, which both took place an hour apart, is another of those open secrets that circulated in the paddock and outside of it. In this case it is the Colombian David Alonso who will ascend to the premier category with the Japanese brand.
The format of the statement is exactly the same, a review of Alonso’s successes and the confirmation of a “multi-year” agreement that does not specify deadlines. They also confirm that Alonso (something they have not done with Quartararo) will get on the bike in the PostGP test in Valencia.
In none of the cases is it specified which team they will race for, but rather they become drivers of the brand. For Quartararo there is no doubt that it will be in the official team, but in the case of Alonso the rumors spoke of a move to the LCR with Diogo Moreira moving to the official team.
So we will have to finish seeing how HRC ends up fitting the puzzle knowing that it already has its four drivers confirmed for next season and that the only doubt will be in which box Alonso and Moreira are placed.
