Diogo Moreira was already turning heads in Moto2 this season — but his breakthrough win at Assen just shot him straight to the top of the MotoGP graduation list. The 21-year-old Brazilian rider dominated the Dutch GP from pole position, becoming the first Brazilian to ever win a Moto2 race. That win wasn’t a one-off either — it capped a red-hot run of form with three podiums in his last four races. In fact, Moreira has scored more points than any other rider during that stretch. Not bad for someone who had a rocky start to the year.
Now riding for Italtrans, Moreira has become a prime candidate to step up to the big leagues in 2026. His pace and recent results speak for themselves, but there’s more working in his favour. With Brazil returning to the MotoGP calendar next year and a stack of homegrown sponsors behind him, Moreira is suddenly a marketing dream — and a rising talent — rolled into one.
While he remains focused on performing in Moto2, Moreira has admitted that off-track negotiations are in the hands of his manager, Diego Silvente. And by the sound of it, there’s plenty happening behind the scenes.
The most likely path? A seat at Pramac Yamaha alongside Toprak Razgatlioglu. That would mean either Jack Miller or Miguel Oliveira would have to make way — and both riders’ futures are currently up in the air. Miller’s working on an extension, but Oliveira’s contract includes a performance clause that could see Yamaha let him go if his results don’t measure up. Injuries haven’t helped his case — he’s already missed four races this season.
Moreira’s stock is also rising thanks to a new partnership with Yamaha Brazil, signaling strong manufacturer interest in boosting its presence in the South American market. He even tested a Yamaha R1 recently at the Balaton circuit — just another hint that Yamaha might be grooming him for the future.
A Razgatlioglu–Moreira pairing could turn Pramac into a de facto junior team for Yamaha, which is exactly how the brand hoped to use the satellite outfit after taking it over from Ducati.
Now, ideally, Pramac would want Moreira to stay in Moto2 for one more year — and perhaps with their own new Moto2 squad — before making the jump in 2027. But Moreira seems to prefer sticking with Italtrans if he does remain in the intermediate class. It’s a team where he’s comfortable and thriving, so it’s hard to argue with that logic.
Beyond Yamaha, there are whispers of interest from Aprilia and Honda too. Aprilia had him on the shortlist for a post-Aragon test with Trackhouse Racing, but Moreira passed on the opportunity and Manuel Gonzalez took the seat instead. Honda, meanwhile, is waiting to see how the Jorge Martin–Aprilia contract saga plays out before making its next move.
With momentum, form, backing, and timing all aligning, Diogo Moreira is shaping up to be MotoGP’s next big thing — and 2026 could be the year he makes the leap.
