Honda HRC Castrol Advances to Rank C Concessions

A resurgent season sees Honda complete their biggest performance turnaround in years, climbing from Rank D to Rank C after sealing the exact points needed in the Valencia finale.

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The 2025 MotoGP season wrapped up with a major victory for the Honda HRC Castrol squad, not on the podium, but in the standings. Luca Marini delivered a faultless ride to seventh place at the Valencia Grand Prix, securing the exact nine points needed to elevate Honda from Rank D to Rank C Concessions, marking one of the most closely fought technical battles of the year.

It became one of the weekend’s biggest storylines among seasoned fans: after a difficult 2024, Honda’s steady climb throughout 2025 had brought them within reach of an important concessions milestone. And in the final race of the season, it all came down to the last laps and Honda scored exactly what they needed.

By moving up to Rank C, Honda now loses some advantages previously granted under the lowest concession tier. Their test tyre allocation drops from 260 to 220, free testing is now limited strictly to test riders, and testing locations are capped at three circuits. They will also have seven or eight engines per season, with frozen engine specifications and only one permitted aero update. The only unchanged benefit is six wildcard entries per season.

Despite the reduction, the upgrade is proof of genuine progress. Across 22 Grands Prix, each offering a maximum of 37 points, Honda’s resurgence was hard-earned and unmistakable. The manufacturer closes the season fourth in the Constructor standings with 285 points, a huge improvement of +210 points compared to 2024, backed by one win and three podiums.

Crossing the line in seventh, Luca Marini secured more than just points, he delivered Honda the confirmation of their rise to Rank C. It capped off a much-improved season that included 12 top-ten finishes and a best result of fifth at the Hungarian GP. Marini ends the year 13th in the World Championship, the second-highest Honda rider.

Marini said: “A fantastic result in the end, we really needed this seventh place and I was so focused on getting it… We have improved the whole bike so much and we’re already looking forward to next year.”

Meanwhile, Joan Mir also ended his season with determination, recovering from a Long Lap Penalty following Saturday’s incident. Displaying top-five pace through the early laps, Mir charged forward to finish 13th, concluding his championship in 15th with two podiums earned through sheer grit at Motegi and Sepang.

Mir reflected: “There were complicated moments, but overall we need to be pleased with what we have done over this year and aim to do more in 2026. The direction of travel is correct and on Tuesday we continue our work.”

There’s no time to rest. The 2026 season officially begins with Tuesday’s post-season Valencia Test on today November 18, where Honda and the rest of the grid will roll out their first prototypes for next year.

After an impressive turnaround in 2025, all eyes now turn to whether Honda can continue building momentum from their new Rank C platform, and fight their way back toward the front of MotoGP.