As previously revealed by Motorsport.com, Honda confirmed on Thursday that Red Bull will return as a sponsor of its factory MotoGP team, four years after the energy drinks brand used Marc Marquez’s departure as a way out of its agreement with HRC.
Red Bull and Monster, the two leading players in the energy drinks market, account for much of the MotoGP grid’s sponsorship landscape. The Red Bull brand has a strong presence at KTM, where it currently sponsors the factory team, as well as at Tech 3. The French outfit, however, looks set to see Red Bull disappear from the lower fairings of both its bikes next year, as it becomes visible once again on Honda’s machines.
Red Bull was already present at Honda from 2015 until 2023, when Marquez’s move to Gresini opened a loophole that allowed the company to terminate its relationship with HRC. Four years later, the Japanese manufacturer has confirmed that it has signed a new deal with the Austrian brand from 2027 onwards. The wording of the announcement suggests that the new agreement involves a greater commitment than the previous one, meaning Red Bull’s logos are likely to become more prominent, extending beyond the fairings and forks of the new prototype.
“Going into the new championship, with the 850cc bikes, it is essential to have partners who share the same goals and ambitions. I have no doubt about what we can achieve together, and I know we will be able to give our fans some incredible moments,” said Koji Watanabe, HRC president.
This move will have an interesting knock-on effect when it comes to the riders, given that the agreements signed by teams take precedence over those held by their riders. That will force Fabio Quartararo, who is due to become Honda’s flagship rider in 2027, to end his relationship with Monster, which has sponsored him at Yamaha since he made his premier-class debut in 2019.
Motorsport.com understands that the Nice-born rider had to pay a sum to terminate his agreement with the claw-mark brand for next season, although the funds to cover that compensation came from Honda, which is undergoing a period of reorganisation in which marketing is taking on an increasingly important role. One example of this is the special livery the bikes will carry to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Japanese manufacturer’s premier-class debut in 1966.
At the same time as this reshuffling of sponsors, everything points towards Monster ending its role as Yamaha’s title sponsor, a dominant position it has held since 2019, when it replaced Movistar. The US company joined Aprilia halfway through this season as title sponsor of the Noale manufacturer’s factory team, while also maintaining a smaller presence with the Ducati factory team.
Monster will remain there at least until its current agreement expires at the end of 2027, when Red Bull is expected to be looking to step in and bring Marquez and Pedro Acosta back into its fold.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: motorsport.com
