Castrol Onboard to ‘Replace’ Repsol for HRC Sponsorship in MotoGP

HRC and Repsol will split at the end of the current 2024 MotoGP season, bringing an end to a 30-year partnership that’s been littered with success.

Since 1994 when Mick Doohan won his first of five 500cc titles in succession for Honda, Repsol and the Japanese brand have gone on to win a total of 17 world championships, nine more than closest rivals Yamaha (8).

Doohan, Nicky Hayden, Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner and Marc Marquez have not only worn the Repsol Honda colours, but they’ve won titles with the two famous brands, while five-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo also ended his career with Repsol Honda.

Repsol has been the title sponsor for Honda throughout the partnership, but when Marquez announced he would leave Honda last season despite having a year left on his contract, rumours of Repsol leaving Honda quickly surfaced.

Despite Honda’s huge MotoGP success, recent years have been some of its worst in the championship and that was highlighted by Marquez opting to get out of a factory contract that was paying him a lot more money for a satellite ride on a Ducati.

It turned out to be the right call as Marquez has returned to winning ways in 2024 and has also signed with the factory Ducati team for 2025.

Respol, according to Motorsport, is set to be ‘replaced’ by Castrol although the British oil company won’t take over the position of title sponsor.

Castrol is a sponsor for Honda’s satellite LCR team but an agreement is thought to be imminent which will see it join forces with the factory project.

Repsol told Honda that it would not be staying onboard for 2025 at the San Marino Grand Prix earlier this season, a race that was won by Marquez. There are three rounds of the 2024 campaign remaining until the deal between Repsol and Honda ends.

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