Takaaki Nakagami will return to MotoGP as a wildcard rider for this year's Japanese Grand Prix, with the October race at Motegi potentially marking the final premier class appearance of his career.
Honda confirmed that the 34-year-old will compete at his home event as part of the factory's wildcard programme. Nakagami has been serving as an HRC test rider since retiring from full-time MotoGP competition at the end of the 2024 season.
Since moving into his development role, Nakagami has made two wildcard appearances. His standout result came at the French Grand Prix earlier this year, where he finished an impressive sixth, while his previous outing at Motegi ended in retirement from the main race.
Source: MotoGP
The Japanese rider said he was delighted to race in front of his home fans once again and viewed the weekend as an important opportunity to continue Honda's development programme under competitive conditions.
Nakagami added that racing at Motegi always carries extra significance and thanked Honda for giving him another chance to compete at the circuit where he has enjoyed strong support throughout his career.
Although Honda has not confirmed whether the appearance will be his last in MotoGP, the timing has fuelled speculation that it could bring the curtain down on Nakagami's premier class career.
The Japanese rider made his MotoGP debut in 2018 with LCR Honda and remained with the team until the end of the 2024 season before transitioning into his current role as a test rider. During his full-time career, he became the first Japanese rider in almost 16 years to claim a MotoGP pole position when he topped qualifying at the 2020 Teruel Grand Prix.
With Honda continuing development of its current RC213V while also preparing for MotoGP's new 850cc regulations in 2027, Nakagami's experience remains a valuable asset. His wildcard appearance at Motegi will allow the manufacturer to gather further race data while giving home fans another opportunity to see one of Japan's most recognisable MotoGP riders in action.
