Heart and head disagree, experts pick future MotoGP rider who deserves a chance

MotoGP teams will be keeping a close eye on talented riders who could step into the premier class next year.

We already know that Toprak Razgatlioglu will swap the World Superbike Championship for MotoGP with Pramac Yamaha in 2026.

But Razgatlioglu is somewhat of a unique case. For the most part, MotoGP teams will be looking at younger talent from Moto2.

The risk and reward of giving a chance to a rookie is obvious - Pedro Acosta immediately became a star in MotoGP but not everybody is as brilliant.

The Crash.net experts picked one name - including a surprise - who deserves a spot in the 2026 MotoGP rider line-up…

'Overdue promotion story' is identified

Peter McLaren: Razgatlioglu aside, young Brazilian Moto2 star Diogo Moreira seems to have caught the eye of several teams. 

But I always think a Moto2 champion deserves a MotoGP chance and that increasingly looks like being Manuel Gonzalez. Gonzalez also did a very good job on his MotoGP debut with Trackhouse at the Aragon test. 

If Gonzalez wins the title, I’d say he would ‘deserve’ the MotoGP chance more, but both will probably be in the premier-class within a few years.

Alex Whitworth: At the start of the season, Manuel Gonzalez was the clear choice for a rider to step up to MotoGP from Moto2.

That has changed slightly in recent races, as Gonzalez’s early command over the intermediate class has come under challenge from riders like Aron Canet and Diogo Moreira.

Canet isn’t going to MotoGP, but Moreira might. Given MotoGP is heading to Brazil next year, he would be a useful rider to have in the premier class.

Maybe he’s not as consistent as Gonzalez, but he has more flash on the bike, and he feels like the kind of rider who excels more with more power in his right hand.

Derry Munikartono: If I’m going with my heart, it has to be Aron Canet. He’s long been one of Moto2’s most consistent and talented riders, and it’s frankly baffling that a MotoGP seat has continued to elude him. Year after year, Canet has proven himself as a race-winning contender—tenacious, precise, and emotionally driven. 

He openly acknowledges that his eccentric image, including full-body tattoos, may have hurt his chances with conservative MotoGP teams. It’s a harsh reminder that perception still plays too big a role in rider promotions. Now, with rumors linking him to the seat vacated by Toprak Razgatlioglu at BMW in WorldSBK, Canet might finally find a home—even if it’s not in MotoGP. A deserved opportunity, yes, but in truth, he belongs with the big boys on the Grand Prix grid.

Emotion aside, if we’re going by merit, the standout is clearly Manuel Gonzalez. The current Moto2 points leader has racked up four wins, four additional podiums, and five pole positions—a stat sheet that screams MotoGP potential. While his season hasn’t been the smoothest—some weekends he’s unstoppable, others more forgettable—the raw pace is undeniable. 

He has that rare "when-it-clicks-he-dominates" quality that top-tier teams crave. Diogo Moreira also deserves mention: fast, fearless, and backed by a rising fanbase. But his reckless lunge at the German GP raised doubts about his readiness for the discipline and responsibility MotoGP demands. 

For now, Gonzalez feels like the safest bet for a 2026 seat, but Canet remains the most overdue promotion story in the paddock.

'Otherwise what's the point in feeder category?'

Lewis Duncan: Any rider that goes on to win the Moto2 title should have some sort of guaranteed pathway into MotoGP, otherwise what is the point in a feeder category?

At the summer break, Manuel Gonzalez is 25 points clear of Moto2 class veteran Aron Canet having taken four grands prix victories in a reasonably consistent campaign in the intermediate class.

Gonzalez’s name has been thrown around for a potential MotoGP step. Those rumours got interesting when he tested for Trackhouse at Aragon in June. The team denied this was anything other than a reward for a fast young rider while it had a spare bike available for that test.

But given how underwhelming Raul Fernandez has been, and the criticism he has faced even from Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola this year, Trackhouse would be foolish not to consider Gonzalez as an option even if the former has a contract for next year.

Jordan Moreland: In terms of raw speed, Diogo Moreira is the rider I'd like to see promoted to MotoGP for 2026. There are rumours linking him to a MotoGP seat; he has impressed in Moto2 since 2024, albeit with a few moments of controversy. 

His talent is there to be seen, and with the Brazilian Grand Prix making a return in 2026, how good would it be to see a home rider race there in the MotoGP class?