Daniel Holgado, a rising star in Moto2, is now set to join Gresini’s MotoGP team in 2027 after pulling out of talks with Yamaha over a potential ride.
The Spaniard has quickly built a reputation as one of the top prospects in the intermediate class. Following an impressive rookie season with CFMoto, he’s carried that momentum into this year. Holgado claimed third place in Thailand and followed it up with a win in Brazil before struggling to 16th place in America after qualifying 15th.
His weekend at COTA was also complicated by a long lap penalty for causing Joe Roberts’ crash at Turn 1 during the original start. Holgado now sits third in the standings with 33 points, trailing Manuel Gonzalez on 39.5 and Izan Guevara on 36.
Both Holgado and Guevara could be moving up to MotoGP together for the start of the 2027 season. Recent reports indicate that Gresini are planning to sign Holgado following their new satellite Ducati agreement, while Guevara is expected to join Pramac Yamaha around the same time.
Daniel Holgado Informs Yamaha of His Gresini Move for 2027
Yamaha had also been considering Holgado for a MotoGP spot in 2027, but according to Motorsport.com, the Spaniard recently let the team know he plans to join Gresini instead.
Gresini and Yamaha are both looking at changes for 2027. Fermin Aldeguer’s move to VR46 left Gresini frustrated after Ducati exercised their option on the rider. Meanwhile, Alex Marquez is set to join KTM after being overlooked for a factory Ducati seat.
Fabio Quartararo’s expected switch to Honda has been widely discussed, while Alex Rins is likely to leave Yamaha before then. Both teams are actively searching for new riders ahead of those moves.
Holgado could have been in contention to fill one of those spots with Guevara expected at Pramac. Jack Miller’s contract with Pramac runs out at the end of 2026, and Razgatlioglu is expected by his agent to remain with them into 2027.
Daniel Holgado broke the news to Yamaha that he’s joining Gresini in 2027
Holgado had also been discussing a possible MotoGP move with Yamaha, but according to Motorsport.com, he recently told them he’s chosen Gresini as his next step up from Moto2.
Gresini and Yamaha are both looking at new options for 2027, with their current riders expected to move on. Gresini were frustrated when Ducati assigned Fermin Aldeguer to VR46 for 2027, taking advantage of their option to extend his deal.
Alex Marquez is expected to join KTM’s factory team in 2027 after Ducati decided not to offer him a place in their works line-up. Meanwhile, Fabio Quartararo is widely expected to join Honda, and Alex Rins’ departure from Yamaha also appears imminent.
With Rins leaving, Yamaha still needs a second factory rider, a role Holgado might have filled given that Guevara is tipped for Pramac. Jack Miller’s contract with Pramac ends in 2026, and Toprak Razgatlioglu’s agent believes he’ll remain there into the following season.
KTM must agree not to extend Enea Bastianini’s contract for him to return
Bastianini has emerged as Gresini’s top target, according to reports, and the path back isn’t straightforward. The Italian raced for them back in 2022 before moving through different teams over the years.
Even though Bastianini is reportedly interested in returning and is Gresini’s top choice according to sources like Motorsport.com, there are still obstacles. KTM holds an option to extend his factory contract into the next year and hasn’t shown signs of giving it up yet.
Bastianini initially joined KTM Tech3 on a two-year deal starting in 2025 after leaving Ducati’s factory team when they brought Marc Marquez aboard. While adapting hasn’t been easy—he sits 11th in points early this season—he remains their second-best performer behind Pedro Acosta.
Bastianini leads ahead of Brad Binder, who is on just 17 points through three rounds. Maverick Vinales has yet to record a point while dealing with ongoing shoulder issues suffered before the start of this year’s campaign.
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